Emergency officials were already looking past Hanna to powerful Hurricane Ike, several hundred miles out in the Atlantic. With Category 3 winds of near 115 mph, Ike could approach Cuba and southern Florida by Monday, as Hanna spins away from Canada over the North Atlantic.

“Hanna is heading north in a hurry, leaving behind sunshine for the weekend,” said Myrtle Beach city spokesman Mark Kruea.

At least 1,500 spent the night in shelters and more than 55,000 customers were without power early Saturday. Several inches of rain fell in the Carolinas, including 5 inches in Fayetteville and the Sandhills region. The same was forecast for central Virginia, Maryland and southeastern Pennsylvania, where some spots could get up to 10 inches. Forecasters warned of the potential for flash flooding in the northern mid-Atlantic states and southern New England. No rain fell to the west in Charlotte, where Tropical Storm Fay flooded streets and forced the evacuations of homes two weeks ago.

Meanwhile organisers of the US Open said they may have to reschedule some of the matches.

For all the talk of Hanna, there was more on Ike. In preparation for Ike, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is positioning supplies, rescue crews and medical teams in Florida and along the Gulf Coast.