New England weathers a downgraded storm Irene

BOSTON, (Reuters) – High winds and flooding hit New  England today as Tropical Storm Irene buffeted the  six-state region on its way up the U.S. East Coast, but its  bark appeared to be worse than its bite.
From Massachusetts’ eastern islands to the western  Berkshires mountain range, officials reported flooded roadways,  trees downed over rail tracks and evacuations in some towns.  Normally sandy beaches jammed with people were deserted rock  fields churned up by the sea.
Authorities braced for dam failures in the Berkshires  because of the heavy rains and were concerned about the next  tide cycle, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency  Management Agency said.
A tornado watch and a flood watch were in effect for parts  of southern New England, where winds with gusts of up to 70 mph  (112 kph) were forecast, according to the National Weather  Service.
Hurricane Irene, downgraded to a tropical storm this morning, flooded waterfronts and low-lying areas in New York  City, but it did not cause the devastation some had feared.
In New England, the storm knocked down power lines, leaving  more than 500,000 homes and businesses in Rhode Island and  Massachusetts without electricity, officials said. Crews were  being dispatched but had to work cautiously in the high winds.
Few people were moving around today.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority suspended  service from 8 a.m. (1200 GMT) today and Amtrak halted all  rail service in the northeast.
“We’ve been telling staff that when they come in they may  have to stay beyond the end of their shift, or overnight,” Paul  Biddinger, medical director for emergency management at  Massachusetts General Hospital said.
“We have sleeping quarters set up and last night a number  of staff spent the night, and others will tonight, either  because they have no way to get home since the transportation  system has shut down, or because they don’t feel safe on the  roads,” he said.
Boston’s Logan International Airport was open even though  all but two airlines had canceled all flights, airport  spokesman Phil Orlandella said.