Nearly a million people were without electricity on America’s east coast tonight as hurricane Isabel slammed ashore.

The large eye of a weakened Hurricane Isabel crossed the coastal islands off North Carolina today as the storm pounded the coast.

President George Bush today led hundreds of thousands of people fleeing from the path of hurricane Isabel as it bore down on America’s east coast.

Aer Lingus has cancelled its return flight between Shannon and the US city of Baltimore today as Hurricane Isabel moves closer to the US east coast.

Hurricane Isabel is closing in on the North Carolina coast with 105 mph winds and the potential for up to a foot of rain, threatening to cause ruinous flooding across the region.

Flights between Ireland and the US city of Baltimore are expected to face disruption in the coming days as Hurricane Isabel heads towards the US east coast.

Cars, recreational vehicles and SUVs streamed inland from North Carolina’s coast as up to 90,000 people were urged to get out of the way of Hurricane Isabel, the most powerful storm in four years to menace the eastern US.

An elderly Florida woman has attacked her husband with a butcher's knife in a row over Hurricane Isabel.

Residents up and down the US east coast boarded up windows and the military ordered ships and planes out of harm’s way as Hurricane Isabel headed toward land with 120mph winds.