Airlines begin canceling flights as Irene nears
Airlines are beginning to cancel flights and get planes out of the way as Hurricane Irene barrels toward the U.S. East Coast.
The storm is likely to force hundreds of flights to be canceled through this weekend and create delays that could ripple across the country.
On Thursday, airlines offered passengers the option of free rebooking for trips to many East Coast cities.
Coastal North Carolina’s Dare County has ordered all residents to move inland beginning at 8 a.m. Friday as Hurricane Irene approaches.
The mandatory order applies to all 35,000 of the county’s year-round residents, not just those on the Outer Banks.
An evacuation order took effect for as many as 150,000 tourists in Dare County on Thursday.
The Dare County Control Group said in a statement Thursday that Irene poses a serious threat, with hurricane force winds and the potential for flooding over highways and roads throughout the area.
The state will be opening two shelters for residents and pets at 10:00 a.m. Friday in Roanoke Rapids and Jackson
