Post-Irene US starts recovery

TRANSPORTATION was getting back to normal in most eastern states in the wake of Hurricane Irene, although some US towns still grappled with flooding and many homes were without electricity.

At least 46 people were reported killed by the storm, which blew through the Caribbean and up the US East Coast before hitting Canada.

Early estimates put Irene’s damage at $7-10bn (€6.9bn), much smaller than the impact of monster storms such as Hurricane Katrina, which caused over $100bn in damage.