East Coast braces for Hurricane Irene; warning area expanded

US Eastern Seaboard braces for Hurricane Irene, currently a category 2 storm (sustained winds of 96-110 mph), which is expected to hit North Carolina tonight. In all, seven states are on alert and have declared a state of emergency: North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. 110 million people live along the full length of the heavily populated Eastern Seaboard; of these, 65 million, from North Carolina to New England, could be impacted by the approaching storm.