It's here! New York prepares for lockdown as airports and subway shut down and Hurricane Irene makes landfall on the East Coast
-Entire public transport system as well as five main New York City airports on lockdown from midday
-115mph wind gusts batter east coast and North Carolina as Irene wreaks havoc
-Category 1 storm made landfall near Cape Lookout, North Carolina last night
-Experts say biggest worry are the storm surges of up to 11ft that could hit New York City
-President declares federal emergency for New York state and warns U.S. is about to experience 'historic hurricane'
-Mayor Bloomberg tells people in evacuation zones to 'get out now' before public transportation shut down at noon
-States of emergency declared in seven states - New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Connecticut and Delaware