ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (November 13, 2009)—The remnants of what once was Hurricane Ida are dumping heavy rain on the East Coast, flooding coastal areas in New Jersey after slamming the Carolinas and Virginia.

Strong winds and waves are causing severe beach erosion along the New Jersey shore, but, the rain has not been as heavy as first predicted, which could help ease the flooding.

Many streets are flooded in Cape May County, which was under a state of emergency.

Although officials suggested voluntary evacuations of low-lying areas late Thursday, there's no immediate word of any mandatory evacuations.

The storm is responsible for five deaths across three states.

The U.S. Coast Guard halted the search for three missing New Jersey fishermen whose boat sank in rough seas Wednesday night.

Tens of thousands of people are without power.

The governor of Virginia has declared a state of emergency, and officials in some areas urged people to stay home.

The desk clerk at a hotel in downtown Norfolk says she had to navigate around standing water during a morning commute that took twice as long as usual.

Emergency responders report people being rescued from their cars after being stuck in high water in southeastern Virginia.

Officials warn that the flooding could continue through Friday evening.