SACO — Trina Mills was getting ready to close up the Camp Ellis General Store and Clamshell Cafe about 10:30 this morning and planned to join others watching the waves come in on the beach nearby.

“There’s no surfers, but there’s a lot of storm watchers,” said Mills, the store’s manager.

Additional Photos

Cameron and Christian Schaffer, 10 and 7 of Saco check out the waves from inside the family truck at high tide during Tropical Storm Irene along Surf Street in Camp Ellis, Saco, today. Shortly before a wave sprayed the brothers inside the window.
Cameron and Christian Schaffer, 10 and 7 of Saco check out the waves from inside the family truck at high tide during Tropical Storm Irene along Surf Street in Camp Ellis, Saco, today. Shortly before a wave sprayed the brothers inside the window. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
Claire McIntyre of Biddeford tries to stay under cover of a wind-blown umbrella while checking out the waves at high tide during Tropical Storm Irene along Surf Street in Camp Ellis, Saco, today.
Claire McIntyre of Biddeford tries to stay under cover of a wind-blown umbrella while checking out the waves at high tide during Tropical Storm Irene along Surf Street in Camp Ellis, Saco, today. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
Alisha Bergeron, 17 of Saco jumps to get a better look while checking out the waves with her mother Kathy at high tide during Tropical Storm Irene along Surf Street in Camp Ellis, Saco, today.
Alisha Bergeron, 17 of Saco jumps to get a better look while checking out the waves with her mother Kathy at high tide during Tropical Storm Irene along Surf Street in Camp Ellis, Saco, today. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer

Tropical Storm Irene has begun to bear down on York County, where downed trees and widespread power outages have been reported, said Steve Harding, public information officer for the York County Emergency Management Agency.

Harding said it’s too early to tell how much flooding to expect, but the agency is paying particular attention to the county’s low-lying areas, including Camp Ellis.

“We’ve been telling people for two or three days, if you see water coming up, get out,” he said.

There are three shelters set up in York County, at community centers in Saco and Wells and at Marshwood High School in South Berwick. Harding said there was only one person at each of the shelters about mid-morning today.

Public works departments in several York County towns were working quickly to respond to reports of downed trees, but there were none that had blocked roadways or caused significant damage, Harding said.

“When the storm gets here full-bore, we expect more problems,” he said. “Just got to wait and see and react to whatever happens.”

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