New York is beginning mandatory evacuations for the first time in its history because of Hurricane Irene. Thousands of people living in low-lying areas across all five boroughs – including Battery Park on the tip of Manhattan – will have to leave their homes by 5pm today and seek shelter elsewhere. The order – enforced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg – applies to the lowest-lying areas of the city which are expected to be plunged under water. Mr Bloomberg said emergency services could not guarantee they would be able to help people in those areas. He said yesterday: ‘There are risks that endanger public safety and, I can’t stress it enough, nature is a force more powerful than any of us and it really is better to be safe than sorry. ‘We can’t depend on Mother Nature being kind. This is very serious. Do not be fooled by the sun, that is the calm before the storm. Under a nightmare scenario, most of downtown Manhattan – including Wall Street and the site of the World Trade Center – could be submerged by 7ft of flooding and 110mph winds, experts warned
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