IRENE charged into New England yesterday as it weakened to a tropical storm after racing across New York city leaving the East Coast stunned, with at least 16 dead, widespread flooding and power outages for four million homes and businesses.

Irene has weakened to a tropical storm as it raced across New York City, leaving behind a stunned east coast where at least nine people died, severe flooding was widespread and four million homes were without power.

Hurricane Irene shut down New York and menaced other cities as it steamed up the East Coast of America, dumping a foot of rain on North Carolina and Virginia and knocking out power to two million homes and businesses.