Hurricane Irene gains strength; targets North Carolina's Ocracoke Island

Hurricane Irene ramped up to a Category 3 storm Wednesday morning, with destructive 115 miles per hour winds heading straight for the East Coast.
The storm increased in ferocity as it passed over the Bahamas and meteorologists fear it could become stronger by the time it reaches U.S. mainland this weekend.
Evacuations began on the small tourist island of Ocracoke, part of North Carolina's Outer Banks, which is one of the first places expected to be hit when the storm reaches U.S. soil.
The 16-mile-long barrier island is home to about 800 permanent residents and thousands more flock there for vacation in the summer months.
It is only accessible by boat so getting people off the island in time could be a challenge, and it is the first real test to see if people are heeding official warnings to get out of the hurricane's path.
Meteorologists are urging residents all along the East Coast, as far up as Maine, to be prepared as Irene could bring heavy rain, mass flooding and power outages.
The storm is expected to hit North Carolina at the weekend and will then change course and head northwards, passing Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane's center is likely to be off the coast but the eastern tip of Long Island could experience the full force of mother nature.
This is the first major storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the first hurricane to seriously threaten the U.S. since Ike slammed into Texas in 2008.
The last Category 3 storm to come ashore on the East Coast was seven years ago when Hurricane Jeanne struck Florida in 2004.
Irene has already carved out a destructive path across the Caribbean, first striking Puerto Rico with 10 inches of torrential rain and dangerous winds.
More than a million people were without power on the island and one woman died - causing President Obama to declare an emergency to make the island eligible for federal help.
Irene then headed toward the Dominican Republic, where hundreds of people were forced to seek shelter in schools and churches.