Irene Flooding (Video)

No, Hurricane Irene didn't wipe out the East Coast.

But was the event the "hurricane that couldn't"?

It must be frustrating for people suffering in the wake of Irene, dealing with massive flooding, downed trees, and property damage. Being without power is a nightmare in itself.

Over one million in the tri-state area are still without power as of midday on Monday.

Vermonters probably aren't viewing Hurricane Irene as a case in hype.

From the Associated Press:

Vermont towns battled floods of historic proportions, utility crews struggled to restore power to 5 million people along the East Coast, and big-city commuters coped with transit-system disruptions Monday as the rainy remnants of Hurricane Irene finally spun into Canada.

The storm killed at least two dozen people, forced the cancellation of about 9,000 flights, washed away roads and bridges and toppled trees and power lines.

It never became the big-city nightmare forecasters and public officials had warned about, but it caused severe flooding in New England, well inland from the coastal areas that bore the brunt of the storm's winds.

In Vermont and upstate New York, normally placid streams turned into raging torrents tumbling with tree limbs, cars and parts of bridges.

Hundreds of Vermonters were told to leave their homes after Irene dumped several inches of rain on the landlocked state. Gov. Peter Shumlin called it the worst flooding in a century, and the state was declared a federal disaster area.

Communities were cut off, roads washed out, and at least a dozen bridges lost, including at least three historic covered bridges.

"We prepared for the worst and we got the worst in central and southern Vermont," Shumlin said Monday. "We have extraordinary infrastructure damage."

Here's video: