Tropical Storm Isaias kills 4, causes 'life-threatening' flooding along East Coast

Doug McKelway reports from Alexandria.At least four people were killed when Tropical Storm Isaias spawned tornadoes, downed trees and dumped flooding rains as it roared up the East Coast on Tuesday.As of 3 p.m. EDT, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami reported maximum sustained winds of 65 mph -- 9 mph shy of being a hurricane. It was about 60 miles west of New York City and was moving north-northeast at 40 mph."Strong and damaging winds will continue to spread northward across the New York City metropolitan area, including eastern Long Island and southern New England, that could knock down trees and power lines," the hurricane center said.ISAIAS BRINGS TORNADO, FLASH FLOODING THREAT TO MILLIONS AFTER NORTH CAROLINA LANDFALL SPARKS FIRES, KNOCKS OUT POWERMore than 12 hours after coming ashore in North Carolina, the storm was causing destruction hundreds of miles north into the New York City metro area. (AP Photo/Randall Chase)Most of the significant damage seemed to be east and north of where the hurricane's eye struck land.NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY WARNS OF CHAINSAW ACCIDENTS, FIRE ANTS IN WAKE OF ISAIASForecasters had clear warnings earlier, as Isaias approached land, for a life-threatening storm surge along the coasts of North and South Carolina.Nevertheless, some veterans of earlier storms thought their areas would be spared.Flooding reported along South Carolina coast after Hurricane Isaias makes landfall north of Myrtle Beach.Royce Potter, a fifth-generation seafood purveyor and owner of Potter’s Seafood in Southport, told the Associated Press he rode out the storm on a boat docked near his business, which was damaged by the wind and water.CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP“They got this wrong,” Potter said, visibly shaken.