5,000 Customers In D.C. Lack Power; No Big Problems

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A flash flood warning is in effect in the District of Columbia and officials are warning that the city could get more than 4 inches of rain over the next few hours as Hurricane Irene races up the Eastern Seaboard.

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray says late Saturday that the city will see winds of between 35 to 45 mph and that a tropical storm warning will continue through Sunday morning. He says at least 19 trees are down. Pepco officials say about 5,000 customers in the city are without power.

Homeless shelters are open around the clock in the city, and Metro Transit trains and buses are running as scheduled.

Gray says the district has distributed about 15,000 sandbags in the last two days.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)