Hurricane Earl left little more than large waves in its wake on Saturday, after being downgraded to a tropical storm overnight while moving up the United States' eastern seaboard. Earl passed the state of Massachusetts some 250 kilometres offshore with sustained winds of about 110 kilometres per hour, dpa reported. No significant damage was caused by the high swells, local officials said. Strong rain, however, flooded a few streets and led to power outages in hundreds of homes. Authorities nevertheless expected things to quickly return to normal on the East Coast. Those living near the Atlantic had been bracing for the worst, as Earl had once been a category-four hurricane with winds of up to 230 kilometres per hour. Warnings had been issued in several states, with President Barack Obama declaring an emergency in North Carolina. Some areas were evacuated as a precaution, but Earl ended up largely sparing the North Carolina and Virginia coasts. Earl was expected to leave New England behind later Saturday and set course toward the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, before heading out over the Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center in Miami warned that the storm will continue to produce strong waves and heavy rain as it heads north.
