Hurricane Irene Update: Rains hit New York, New Jersey as Irene closes in

NEW YORK: Heavy winds and rains began smashing New York and New Jersey as Hurricane Irene, just over 200 miles from here, closed in resulting in widespread power outages and raising fears of heavy flooding by early Sunday.

City officials warned that flooding at high tide at around 8 am Sunday (US time) could that massive problems.

"That is when you will see the water come over the side," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a news conference.

More than 10,000 people in the New York area had lost electricity by late night, another 5,576 on Long Island, according to the Long Island Power Authority, 4,700 in New Jersey, according to Public Service Electric and Gas and about 400 in the city and in Westchester, according to Consolidated Edison.

"Now the edge of the hurricane is finally upon us," Bloomberg said. "We have warned the public and now we have to deal with Mother Nature."

Tornado warnings were also issued for some areas near the Delaware coast.

In New Jersey, a twister touched down in the south central part of the state, according to emergency management officials. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings Saturday night for several New Jersey counties.

As hundreds of thousands of residents were evacuated, city officials said the over 90 emergency centers, with a capacity to take in 70,000 people, had remained mostly empty.

They said only 5,500 had arrived by early evening. For a bustling city that never sleeps, New York's roads wore a deserted look with just handful of cars plying.

Broadway and theatre shows were cancelled as a sign on Broadway read "the show must not go on."