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Waves crash along a seawall as Tropical Storm Irene, downgraded from a hurricane, slammed into Fairhaven, Mass. Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

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Irene retired from tropical storm name list

The 76th name to be retired since 1954

Updated: Friday, 13 Apr 2012, 11:44 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 13 Apr 2012, 11:35 AM EDT

MIAMI (AP) — Irene is being retired from the list of storm names because the 2011 hurricane killed 49 people and caused more than $15 billion in damage.

Photos: Hurricane Irene

A report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the name will be replaced by Irma. Irene was retired Friday from the official list of Atlantic Basin tropical storm names by the World Meteorological Organization's hurricane committee.

The report says storm names are reused every six years unless retired for causing considerable casualties or damage. Irene is the 76th name to be retired from the Atlantic list since 1954.

Five people were killed in the Dominican Republic after Hurricane Irene stormed through the Caribbean last August. Three died in Haiti. And 41 died in the U.S. when Irene barreled up the Eastern Seaboard.