NEW YORK (AP) -- Stripped of hurricane rank, Tropical Storm Irene spent the last of its fury Sunday, leaving treacherous flooding and millions without power -- but an unfazed New York and relief that it was nothing like the nightmare authorities feared.
Slowly, the East Coast surveyed the damage -- up to $7 billion by one private estimate. The center of Irene crossed into Canada late Sunday, but for many the danger had not passed.
Rivers and creeks turned into raging torrents tumbling with limbs and parts of buildings in northern New England and upstate New York. Flooding was widespread in Vermont, and hundreds of people were told to leave the capital, Montpelier, which could get flooded twice: once by Irene and once by a utility trying to save an overwhelmed dam.
Meanwhile, the nation's most populous region looked to a new week and the arduous process of getting back to normal. (43 images)
Slowly, the East Coast surveyed the damage -- up to $7 billion by one private estimate. The center of Irene crossed into Canada late Sunday, but for many the danger had not passed.
Rivers and creeks turned into raging torrents tumbling with limbs and parts of buildings in northern New England and upstate New York. Flooding was widespread in Vermont, and hundreds of people were told to leave the capital, Montpelier, which could get flooded twice: once by Irene and once by a utility trying to save an overwhelmed dam.
Meanwhile, the nation's most populous region looked to a new week and the arduous process of getting back to normal. (43 images)
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A flooded road is seen in Hatteras Island, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011after Hurricane Irene swept through the area Saturday cutting the roadway in five locations. Irene caused more than 4.5 million homes and businesses along the East Coast to reportedly lose power over the weekend. Jim R. Bounds / AP
A man walks in Times Square as Hurricane Irene arrives in New York, on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Mike Groll / AP
Sixth Avenue near Radio City Music Hall is empty as Tropical Storm Irene hits in New York, on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Mike Groll / AP
People sleep at Penn Station in New York, early Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, as Hurricane Irene approaches the region. Public transportation in New York shut down around noon on Saturday. Chelsea Matiash / AP
A New York City taxi is stranded in deep water on ManhattanÃs West Side as Tropical Storm Irene passes through the city, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 in New York. Peter Morgan / AP
John Karavas photographs the water in New York City, New York, Sunday, August 28, 2011 after Hurricane Irene swept through the area. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times
Efia Senior, left, Alexis Noa, and Herman Noa wade through the waters on South Street in Lower Manhattan, New York after Hurricane Irene swept through the area Sunday, August 28, 2011. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times
Downed trees, seen on August 28, 2011, took out a bus stop on the corner of FDR Drive and Grand Street in New York after Hurricane Irene passed through the area. Kate Howard / MCT
Waves crash over the shore during high tide during a storm surge from Hurricane Irene in Bayshore, N.Y., on Long Island, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Charles Krupa / AP
Two Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority trains sit in water on flooded tracks at Trenton train station Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, in Trenton, N.J., as rains from Hurricane Irene cause inland flooding of rivers and streams. Mel Evans / AP
Melvin Flores, 35, uses a pail to scoop floodwaters out of his utility room in his apartment Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, Little Falls, N.J. Julio Cortez / AP
A man is taken away in handcuffs after a canoe he and three other individuals were in capsized in Lodi, N.J., Sunday, August 28, 2011, as Hurricane Irene swept though the area. Kevin R. Wexler / The Record
Atlantic City, N.J. residents displaced by Hurricane Irene are evacuated Sunday, August 28, 2011. Ed Hille / Philadelphia Inquirer
Lenard Sanders, a homeless man, pushes his cart toward a subway station to seek shelter as Hurricane Irene makes its way along the Eastern Seaboard, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, in Philadelphia. Matt Rourke / AP
People cross a flooded area around Baltimore Pike and Creek Road from Brandywine River overflow due to Hurricane Irene Sunday, August 28, 2011 outside of Philadelphia, Penna. Ron Cortes / Philadelphia Inquirer
Waves crash along a seawall as Tropical Storm Irene, downgraded from a hurricane, slammed into Fairhaven , Mass. Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Winslow Townson / AP
Two thrill seekers are pummeled by the waves crashing over the causeway, which connects Saybrook Point with Fenwick, Conn., Sunday, August 28, 2011. Stephen Dunn / Hartford Courant
A Fairfield Beach Road home is submerged in Pine Creek in Fairfield, Conn. as treacherous weather caused by Tropical Storm Irene came through the area on Sunday Aug. 28, 2011. Cathy Zuraw / The Connecticut Post
Chris Connelly walks past homes damaged by Hurricane Irene Sunday, August 28, 2011 in Fairfield Beach, Conn. Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant
Nick Krashefski of Milford, Conn., looks out at the water after Hurricane Irene destroyed his home Sunday August 28, 2011. 'It's inevitable, It's gonna happen,' Krashefski said about the damage. 'The most important thing is, no one got hurt.' Bettina Hansen / Hartford Courant
People walk through the mud on Melba Street near Pond Point Beach in Milford, Conn. late Sunday afternoon on August 28, 2011 after Hurricane Irene swept through the area. Cloe Poisson / Hartford Courant
A flooded road is seen in Hatteras Island, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011after Hurricane Irene swept through the area Saturday cutting the roadway in five locations. Jim R. Bounds / AP
Officials survey the damage to route 12 on Hatteras Island, NC., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Steve Helber / AP
National Park Service Ranger Jeff Goad views the destruction to N.C. Hwy 12 on the north edge of Rodanthe, North Carolina due to the storm surge from Hurricane Irene on Sunday, August 28, 2011. Chuck Liddy / Raleigh News & Observer
Patti and David Pearson shovel debris from their home in Kill Devil Hills Sunday, August 28, 2011, after Hurricane Irene passed through the area. Shawn Rocco / Raleigh News & Observer
Denise Robinson clears out her destroyed beach home in the Sandbridge area of Virginia Beach after Hurricane Irene hit Virginia Beach, Va., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Steve Helber / AP
Turnstiles are barricaded with caution tape shortly before the New York City Subway system suspended service for the first time ever, as preparations are made for Hurricane Irene, in New York, on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/ Mike Groll) Mike Groll / AP
A Whole Foods worker closes the Union Square supermarket despite the long line of customers waiting for their turn to stock up on supplies, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in the Manhattan borough of New York. The store, having stayed open throughout the night, had closed out of concern for their workers' safety due to the approach of Hurricane Irene. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo) John Minchillo / AP
Pedestrians cross Fifth Avenue in New York while vehicle traffic is light in advance of Hurricane Irene, on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/ Mike Groll) Mike Groll / AP
Sandbags surround one of the entrances to the New York Stock Exchange, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 in New York. Hurricane Irene opened its assault on the Eastern Seaboard on Saturday by lashing the North Carolina coast with wind as strong as 115 mph (185 kph) and pounding shoreline homes with waves. Farther north, Philadelphia and New York City-area authorities readied a massive shutdown of trains and airports, with 2 million people ordered out of the way.(AP Photo/ Mary Altaffer) Mary Altaffer / AP
The looming threat of Hurricane Irene did not dissuade tourists from visiting Manhattan's Times Square, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in New York. Mayor Bloomberg advised all New Yorkers to prepare as the region girded for wind, rain, and flooding as the storm stood poised to bear down on an already saturated New York state. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo) John Minchillo / AP
Water rises on a street in Ocean City, Md., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, as Hurricane Irene heads toward the Maryland coast. Hurricane Irene knocked out power and piers in North Carolina, clobbered Virginia with wind and churned up the coast Saturday to confront cities more accustomed to snowstorms than tropical storms. (AP Photo/ Patrick Semansky) Patrick Semansky / AP
Two men use a boat to explore a street flooded by Hurricane Irene Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 in Manteo, N.C. (AP Photo/ John Bazemore) John Bazemore / AP
Jarod Wilton looks at the flood waters rising to his doorstep, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in Alliance, N.C., as Hurricane Irene hits the North Carolina coast. Chuck Burton / AP
Defying mandatory evacuation orders and a curfew, summer residents Pam Cooke, left, and Jody Bowers share a laugh as strong winds puff up Jody's jacket as they venture out to the beach in Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 as Hurricane Irene reaches the North Carolina coast. Charles Dharapak / AP
John Lepore tapes up the office window of his Allstate Insurance agency that is located between the beach and a bay as he prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Irene, Saturday, Aug. 27 2011, in the Rockaway Park section of New York. Craig Ruttle / AP
Jackie Sparnackel has to abandon her van and her belongings near the Frisco Pier after she drove up to see how the storm-battered structure was doing Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 in Frisco, N.C. Friends tried to tow her out but she was caught in an overwash. Chuck Liddy / The News & Observer
One of two people rescued from a sailboat, right, uses a line to make their way onto the beach on Willoughby Spit in Norfolk, Va., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, after they and another person were rescued from the boat that foundered in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. A rescuer, left, waits for s second person to exit the boat. Bill Tiernan / The Virginian-Pilot
Wind and water whip across the beach as the effects of Hurricane Irene are felt in Nags Head, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. Gerry Broome / AP
A man struggles against the wind while trying to walk over the dunes as the effects of Hurricane Irene are felt in Nags Head, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 Gerry Broome / AP
Abandoned beach front houses are surrounded by rising water as the effects of Hurricane Irene are felt in Nags Head, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. Gerry Broome / AP
Army National Guard member Spc. Greg Borland holds Gracie Johnston, while her mother, Kelly Johnston, gets off the truck as they arrive at the Pamlico Co. Courthouse in Bayboro, North Carolina, Saturday, August 27, 2011. The Guard unit Bravo Co. of the 120th CAB from Whiteville helped rescue people from flooded homes as Hurricane Irene passed through the area. Chris Seward / Raleigh News & Observer
The sun breaks through as surfers hit the ocean off of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, Saturday, August 27, 2011, after Hurricane Irene moved through the area and north along the eastern Atlantic coast. Steve Jessmore / Myrtle Beach Sun-News
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