WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Hurricane Ophelia lashed the coast of the southeastern state of North Carolina on Wednesday, with strong winds and heavy rains.

    North Carolina Governor Mike Easley warned people to get out of the storm's path, as the hurricane might cause storm surges as high as 3.3 meters.

    "If you have not heeded the warning before, let me be clear right now: Ophelia is a dangerous storm," he said from Raleigh, the state's capital.

    The center of Ophelia, which had top sustained winds of 136 kphand could strengthen slightly, was expected to make landfall on Wednesday evening, forecasters said.

    Nearly 80,000 customers had lost power in the state, and schools, seaports, ferries and businesses were closed and shelters opened along the North Carolina coast, news reports said.

    Ophelia was the first hurricane to hit the United States since Katrina stormed the southern states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida late August, killing hundreds of people and leaving many others displaced. Enditem