WILMINGTON: Tropical storm Isaias pounded the US eastern seaboard with driving rain and strong winds on Tuesday, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and prompting flood precautions in New York City. Isaias slammed into the coast of North Carolina overnight with hurricane strength before being downgraded to a tropical storm.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said there had been at least one death in the southern state and an unspecified number of people injured. "Overall," Cooper told ABC, "the damage was not any ways as great as it could have been." "We have a lot of trees down," the governor said. "We have some storm surge flooding. We have about 355,000 people without power."

The storm is expected to hit New York later in the day with wind gusts of up to 75 miles per hour (120 kph), several inches of rain and possible flash flooding. The authorities set up temporary flood barriers in Lower Manhattan in case of storm surge. The orange flexible tubes known as "Tiger Dams" have been put up in low-lying areas.

Authorities anticipate a possible storm surge of around one to two feet (0.3 to 0.6 meters). Superstorm Sandy in 2012 caused surges of up to 14 feet (4.2 meters). New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency ahead of Isaias's arrival.