Hurricane Irenes Death Toll Rises

In the wake of the weekend's hurricane, flooding throughout parts of the East Coast has become a serious issue, riaising the storm's death toll to 40.our editor recommendsBroadway Takes 36% Hit in Weekly Box Office Amid Hurricane Irene Show CancellationsHurricane Irene Bumps Up Ratings, Web Traffic for The Weather Channel STORY: Hurricane Irene Propels Weather Channel to Friday Cable Ratings Win The destruction spans seven states, with Vermont experiencing the worst flooding in 14 years, ABC News reports. Fifteen Irene-related deaths have been reported in the New York tristate area, seven in New Jersey, six in New York and two in Connecticut. STORY: Hurricane Irene Destroys Ex- Skid Row Frontman's New Jersey Home On Monday, Newark, N.J. Mayor, Cory Booker appeared on Piers Morgan Tonight to discuss the damage his city has suffered. When asked if he thought the media's coverage of the storm had been overhyped, Booker quoted rapper Jay-Z's "99 Problems" saying "For us, still in the trenches trying to help people out, there's a song that goes, 'I've got 99 problems' and that's not one." STORY: Hurricane Irene: New Yorkers React to the Hype The Weather Channel's extensive coverage of the storm gave it a Friday night ratings win. It ranked number one in both viewers (an average of 2.45 million tuned in) and the 25-54 demographic among cable channels. Related Topics Hurricane Irene