300 Residents Remain In Ocean City Ahead Of Hurricane Irene

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) -- Officials in a beach resort town on Maryland's Eastern Shore say hundreds of residents have ignored mandatory evacuation orders ahead of Irene.

Police in Ocean City said Saturday morning that some 300 of the city's 7,000 residents have stayed put. Some of those residents were making last-minute preparations, such as moving cars to higher ground.

Rain was steady all morning, and Mayor Rick Meehan said he expected the winds to pick up even more between 11 a.m. and noon. Meehan says residents who have not left should stay inside and continue to monitor television and radio for reports on the hurricane. He says power outages are possible and sewer services will be shut down Saturday night.

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