( CNN ) -- Even though Hurricane Irene has been downgraded to a tropical storm , its powerful winds and drenching rain continue to pose danger to people who venture into it , the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Sunday . People should `` stay inside , stay safe , '' FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate told CNN 's `` State of the Union '' program . `` For a lot of folks , the danger still exists . We still will have trees coming down , heavy rain , strong winds . '' Hundreds of thousands of people have lost electrical power , and it will take time to get it all restored , Fugate warned . `` I think some people will get power back rather quickly , but other people , it 's going to be days , '' he said on the NBC program `` Meet the Press . '' In addition , Fugate said anyone evacuated in the storm that made landfall twice -- first in North Carolina on Saturday and again in New Jersey on Sunday -- should avoid returning to their homes until floodwaters have receded and emergency crews have cleared fallen trees and downed power lines . `` Do n't go back yet . Let local officials give you the all clear , '' Fugate said .
Fugate says the storm remains dangerous even when downgraded . Some people could face a loss of power for days , he says .