Hurricane death toll at 9; Tornado damages 17 homes in Delaware; Tornado Watch Issued for NJ/NY

August 27, 2011 0

Screen-Shot-2011-08-27-at-10.15.07-PM Hurricane death toll at 9; Tornado damages 17 homes in Delaware; Tornado Watch Issued for NJ/NY

Right now, a majority of Hurricane Irene is in Maryland but the outskirts of the hurricane have caused tornadoes in Delaware destroying 17 homes and causing one more death. A tornado warning has been issued to New Jersey and the New York Metropolitan Area.

Follow the latest developments here, or read the full CNN Wire story:

[Update 9:52 p.m.] A tornado touched down in Lewes, Delaware, damaging at least 17 homes, the governor said Saturday night.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, Governor Jack Markell told CNN affiliate KYW. He wouldn’t have official damage figures until Sunday morning, he said.

[Update 9:42 p.m.] Amtrak said Saturday night it is suspending all service north of Jacksonville, Florida, and east of Toledo, Ohio, and Indianapolis through Sunday because of Hurricane Irene.

[Update 9:27 p.m.] As of 9 p.m. ET Saturday, the storm was centered about 155 miles south of Dover, Delaware, moving northward at 16 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm’s intensity was 80 mph “with the center of the hurricane passing very close to the coasts of Delaware and New Jersey from late tonight into Sunday morning,” according to the weather service.

“The storm will bring damaging winds … torrential rain with dangerous flooding … and coastal flooding,” the weather service said.

[Update 9:17 p.m.] Philadelphia International Airport will close Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET and won’t re-open until 4 p.m. Sunday at the earliest, said spokeswoman Victoria Lupica.

The airport had already cancelled all departures because of Hurricane Irene.

[Update 9:03 p.m.] Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Corey Booker said he’s been going door to door warning residents to flee the storm.

 “We’re strongly encouraging residents to leave,” Booker told CNN Saturday night. “I benefited a lot from the surprise factor as the mayor showing up [at their doors],” he said. “I think they got the point, and hopefully they’ll behave appropriately. Booker said ultimately the city would do what it could to save people in distress due to the storm.

[Update 8:53 p.m.] The lower level of the George Washington Bridge, which connects New York and New Jersey, has been closed, according to the Port Authority.

The upper level of the bridge remains open, the authority said.

[Update 8:43 p.m.] A ninth person has died as a result of Hurricane Irene, officials said.  A man in Chesterfield County, Virginia, died after a tree fell on his home, emergency officials said.

[Update 8:39 p.m.] The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for metropolitan New York. A tornado watch indicates that conditions are favorable for a tornado to form, according to the National Weather Service. No tornado has yet developed or been reported.

© 2011, . All rights reserved.