Hurricane Earl fails to dent North Carolina

A WEAKENED Hurricane Earl delivered only a glancing blow to North Carolina’s Outer Banks yesterday on its way up the East Coast, flooding roads on the narrow holiday islands and knocking out power but staying farther offshore than feared. There were no immediate reports of any injuries.

But the storm remained very much a threat as it swirled up the Eastern Seaboard toward Cape Cod.

President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for Massachusetts to make it easier for the government to provide disaster relief.