RICHMOND, Va. -- Isabel has finished a five-day transformation from Category 5 hurricane to tropical depression, leaving at least 17 people dead in her wake.

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All tropical storm warnings have been discontinued, as the storm's winds declined to around 30 mph. Further weakening is expected during the next 24 hours, and Isabel is expected to lose tropical characteristics during that time.

After hammering the North Carolina coast, Virginia and Maryland, Isabel also dropped about 5 inches of rain on West Virginia and up to 4 inches on Pennsylvania.

The storm took a deadly toll after hitting land. It's blamed for at least 17 deaths: nine in Virginia, three in North Carolina, two in Maryland, and one each in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

About 4.5 million people still don't have power, and that could be the reality for many thousands for up to two weeks.

The skies have cleared over North Carolina and in some other areas, but officials are warning people not to think the danger has passed. They say more flooding could result, as waters seep into tributaries.

Isabel swamped tidal communities along Chesapeake Bay, uprooting trees, disrupting air traffic and shutting down the nation's capital.

North Carolina's governor says there are reports of houses and motels collapsing along the Outer Banks because roofs have blown away.

Meanwhile, in the nation's capital, the federal government was shut down for the second day in a row.

The storm has caused widespread damage elsewhere. In Virginia Beach, Va., huge waves destroyed the tip of the 400-foot-long 15th Street pier.

President George W. Bush declared an emergency in North Carolina, making it eligible for federal assistance.

The huge storm has spread rain across North Carolina and Virginia and into Maryland, Delaware and parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

It's knocked out power to more than 600,000 residential and business customers in southeastern Virginia and eastern North Carolina. And it has made a mess of air travel up and down the East Coast.

Isabel made landfall at 1 p.m. EDT near Drum Inlet, between Cape Lookout and Ocracoke Island, N.C.

The eyewall came ashore late Thursday morning, kicking up high surf and dropping torrential rains.

Isabel is racing toward the north near 30 mph, and an increase in forward speed is expected over the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph, with higher gusts. Isabel could restrengthen over Canada as an extratropical storm over the next day or so. A few wind gusts to tropical storm force are still occurring in association with Isabel.

Storm surge flooding of 4 to 7 feet above normal tide levels is still occurring in the mid to upper Chesapeake Bay and the tidal portions of adjacent rivers. Storm surge flooding will begin to subside late Friday afternoon.

Storm surge flooding along the Potomac River has equaled or exceeded that of the 1933 hurricane in the Washington D.C. area, affecting portions of Reagan National Airport and the city of Alexandria. Storm surge flooding along the Outer Banks should gradually subside today.

Isabel weakened significantly since the weekend, when it had 160 mph winds and held the top Category 5 rating on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

North Carolina Begins Cleanup

Friday was a beautiful day in North Carolina, after a not-so-pretty one Thursday.

Residents got busy cleaning up after Hurricane Isabel.

In Elizabeth City, roads are still cut off by flooding and downed trees. Emergency officials say the storm caused structural damage to 75 percent of homes.

Joe Fernandez watched his home in Harlowe become an island when water spouted from a nearby river.

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"Normal hurricane stuff" is how Ocracoke's Randy Austin describes Isabel's leftovers. He says the storm left plenty of stuff floating around, "boards and buoys and boxes and young'uns' plastic toys."

Paul Grandy said his Stop Quik convenience store was open Friday in Kill Devil Hills.

He summed up the situation saying, "as long as we don't get tornadoes and any more winds than what we've got right now, I think we'll be OK."

Isabel Causes Problems In D.C. For Second Day

Isabel disrupted lives in the nation's capital again Friday.

For the second day in a row, the federal government was shut down -- along with many local governments and school districts in the region.

No injuries were reported in the Washington area, but damage reports are still coming in. At least 300 trees were down in the district.

Authorities asked residents to stay off the roads, many of which were closed because of high water and downed trees. The district's emergency management chief says motorists who decide to venture out can expect major traffic delays.

But some things are already back to normal. The Metro transit system reopened Friday morning, after closing down before noon Thursday.

Isabel Biggest Since Floyd

Isabel is the biggest storm to hit the region since Hurricane Floyd in 1999. National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield reminds people that Floyd was also a Category 2 storm in 1999 -- and went on to kill 56 people.

A wind gust to 105 mph was reported at Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks Thursday. Sustained winds to 80 mph were also reported at Ocracoke. Cape Hatteras reported sustained winds of 79 mph and gusts to 98 mph.