The death toll on the US eastern coast had risen to 10 by early Sunday as Hurricane Irene continued to move towards New York City, the television broadcaster CNN reported, according to dpa. Most of the deaths came as people were struck by toppling trees or branches or other flying objects in the heavy winds. Five of the deaths came in the state of North Carolina, three others in Virginia and one each in Maryland and in Florida. Meanwhiel the electricity to more than a million households was cut off by damage inflicted by the storm to power lines. The massive churning system covering an area roughly the size of western Europe was headed straight for New York City by early Sunday. Water levels were already lapping 30 centimeters above normal along the southern tip of Manhattan at Battery Park, according to broadcaster CNN. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg grew increasingly impatient as some residents refused to evacuate. He ordered patients from five hospitals to higher ground late Friday and the evacuation of 250,000 people from low-lying areas.
