Irene evacuations, transit shutdown ordered in NYC
None
Nearly 300,000 people who live in flood-prone areas of New York City were ordered in an unprecedented decision to evacuate Friday as Hurricane Irene sets its sights on the nation's largest city.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered an evacuation by 5 pm Saturday for low-lying areas that house about 270,000 people. The areas include the Battery Park City complex on the southern end of Manhattan; Coney Island, famed for its boardwalk and amusement park; the beachfront community of the Rockaways and other neighborhoods around the city. Meanwhile, subways, buses and commuter trains in the city, on Long Island and in the northern suburbs will begin their final runs around noon Saturday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. (AP)
