I'm on the coast of NC and I've seen a few hurricanes. Irene was a very large storm that brought heavy rains and high winds for over 24 hours. We had sustained 90+ mph winds for about 12 of those hours, and I watched roofs come off all over the neighborhood. We ran from house to house trying to minimize the damages and remove fallen trees. Aside from immediate damage and 30 hours of no electricity, everyone in my house and neighborhood made it out ok.
From what I understand, the rain impact up north was even more devastating.