FRANKEN STORM SANDY

 

 

FRANKEN STORM SANDY

Tanker washed up, homes razed to the ground and flooded streets littered with cars: Obama declares a 'major disaster' after Sandy turns New York into apocalyptic scene and death toll jumps to 33 Storm damage projected at £12bn // Sandy kills at least 33 people in US and Canada - including ten deaths in New York President Barack Obama has declared a 'major disaster' in New York and Long Island At least 7.4m properties across US East have lost power // New York City could be without power for a week NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg: 'Tragically we expect that number to go up' referring to New York death toll Mass transit system, schools, stock exchange and Broadway shut, as water overflows NYC's historic waterfront Record 13ft storm surge threatening lower Manhattan and howling winds left crane hanging from high-rise building Over 15,000 flights across the globe grounded due to Superstorm Sandy NYU Hospital loses backup power and evacuates patients // Nuclear power plant on alert More than 190 firefighters battled blaze destroying more than 80 homes in Breezy Point Stock trading will be closed in the US again for a second day running - last time it was closed for two days was 1888   The scale of the devastation left by Superstorm Sandy is mounting today as the death toll continues to rise - currently 33 people across the US and Canada have been reported dead, but the final figure is expected to be significantly higher. President Obama declared a 'major disaster' in New York and Long Island as flooded streets were littered with cars, homes were razed to the ground and tankers washed up on shore Hundreds of thousands of people are without power in New York and the transit system, schools, the stock exchange and Broadway are all out of action after a 13ft wall of water caused by the storm surge and high tides brought severe flooding to subways and road tunnels. Sandy, one of the biggest storms to ever descend on the country, hit the mainland at 6.30pm local time yesterday having laid waste to large parts of the coast during the day. The storm that made landfall in New Jersey yesterday evening with 80 mph sustained winds, cut power to more than 7.4 million homes and businesses from the Carolinas to Ohio, caused scares at two nuclear power plants and stopped the presidential campaign cold. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the death toll in the America's most populous city is up to 10 - two children who were killed instantly in the city by a falling tree. Nearly 200 firefighters spent the night battling to get a blaze under control in the Queens, but over 80 homes were flattened in the fire. After the storm: True scale of Sandy's devastation across Eastern Seabord emerges as death toll hits FIFTY and damage set to top $50BILLION 50 dead and the number is expected to rise as clean-up and recovery missions begin President Obama to visit ravaged New Jersey on Wednesday describing the storm as a major disaster Governor Chris Christie said whole stretches of Jersey Shore washed into the sea Cost of damage estimated at $20bn Eight million homes remain without power and NY subway has no timetable for opening   The devastating aftermath Franken Storm Sandy was beginning to emerge as the death toll hit 50 and damage was expected to reach $50billion. As the superstorm passed over the region, startling before-and-after pictures revealed what was left of the East Coast. At first glance, New Jersey's Mantoloking Bridge appeared to be completely different highways - until it becomes clear that just one solitary house was left standing.   Before the storm: The horizon over the Mantoloking Bridge was once dotted with row after row of Atlantic vacation homes Razed: Now the horizon in New Jersey is entirely altered following the devastating superstorm Sandy Chewed up: Atlantic City is almost unrecognisable because of the damage that Sandy has caused. The total estimated cost of repairs following the storm is $20billion Aftermath: Resident Kim Johnson inspects the area around her apartment building which flooded and destroyed large sections of an old boardwalk Row after row of Atlantic vacation homes on the horizon were wiped out by the 900-mile storm following surging waters and winds which reached peaks of 95mph. The colossal scale of the devastation was mounting today as the death toll continued to rise - 50 people were dead in the wake of the storm but that number was expected to grow as rescue missions and clear-up continued. The cost was originally estimated at around $20billion but financial forecasters now expected it somewhere between $30 - $50billion of damage. Stark: Foundations and pilings are all that remain of brick buildings and a boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey Smashed: A street sign stands near apartment buildings and destroyed large sections of the historic boardwalk View from the sky: Video taken from a helicopter shows the devastation along Jersey Shore Sandy will likely be among the ten costliest hurricanes in U.S. history. It would still be far below the worst - Hurricane Katrina, which cost $108 billion in 2005. Insured losses were expected to reach up to $15billion, according to NBC, before the additional toll of the damage done to uninsured buildings and infrastructure such as roads, bridges and transport systems. However experts said a slightly slower economy in the coming weeks will likely be matched by reconstruction and repairs that will contribute to growth over time. Eye of the storm: New York was among the hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy. A fire broke out in Breezy Point, Queens, destroying between 80 and 100 houses Battle: More than 190 firefighters have contained the six-alarm blaze fire in the Breezy Point section, but they are still putting out some pockets of fire Washed up: A resident pushes a bicycle down a street covered in beach sand due to flooding from Superstorm Sandy in Long Beach, New York Destruction: Cars floating after being pushed out a flooded basement in the city during last night's battering Beached: A 168-foot water tanker, the John B. Caddell, sits on the shore where it ran aground on Front Street in the Stapleton neighborhood of New York's Staten Island Fleet in the floods: Yellow cabs in a parking lot are surrounded by water after Superstorm Sandy struck Hoboken, New Jersey Trashed: Cars float up from a car garage in a mixture of floodwater and gasoline in lower Manhattan as workers begin the process of pumping out the mess Some of those losses won't be easily made up. Restaurants that lose two or three days of business, for example, won't necessarily experience a rebound later. And money spent to repair a home may lead to less spending elsewhere. The storm cut power to more than eight million homes and shut down 70 per cent of East Coast oil refineries. It inflicted worse-than-expected damage in the New York metro area - which produces about 10 per cent of economic output in the U.S. President Obama, who will visit New Jersey tomorrow, declared the storm as a 'major disaster' as submerged streets were littered with debris and downed power lines, homes were razed and a tanker had washed ashore. Wrecked: A man looks at an uprooted tree which fell on a car when Superstorm Sandy swept through the Brooklyn borough of New York A firefighter leaves a destroyed home in Pasadena, Maryland, where the homeowner was killed overnight when a tree fell on his home during superstorm Sandy Battered: This home in Manalapan, Florida, was ripped up and ravaged by Sandy when the storm passed through Ripped out: A tree rests on Mike and Kelle Barry's home in Annapolis, Maryland as Superstorm Sandy ripped through the East Coast Mantoloking Bridge leads to the Jersey Shore village of Brick Township, home to more than 76,100 people. Dozens of people have been rescued from roofs of properties where areas were flooded with at least 6ft of seawater. President Obama will join New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Wednesday for a helicopter tour of the ravaged state. At press conference on Tuesday night at 7.30pm (EST) Governor Christie said: 'It was an overwhelming afternoon for me - very emotional for a boy who was brought up in this state.' Understatement: A Whole Foods store in New York informs its customers that it is closed 'due to inclement weather' Two women shop for groceries by torchlight in the Tribeca neighbourhood of New York after power outages caused large parts of the city to fall into darkness Dangerous: A cordon is put up around scaffolding which collapsed in New York after Superstorm Sandy caused widespread damage in the city Barrier: Water and debris block a section of South Street in lower Manhattan, in New York, which had been in the storm's path Toppled: Pictures from Washington DC show how the wind has grabbed hold of trees and ripped them out by the trunk (above and below) Crushed: This home on the Florida coast is surveyed by two men astonished by the scale of destruction Sandy has left Powerful: Waves pound a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Erie, near Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday SANDY TAKES THE LIVES OF 50 At least 50 people have died in the devastation wreaked by Superstorm Sandy - including two children killed instantly by a falling tree. The children - named locally as Jack Baumler, 11, and Michael Robson, 13 - were crushed by the toppled tree as they played inside their home in Westchester County, New York state, at 6.45pm on Monday. Other fatalities include a woman who was electrocuted to death by falling wires on Manhattan’s 134th Street and a 29-year-old man who was killed in a car crash in Queens. A man was crushed by a falling tree in Ulster County, New York State, and one death has been reported in Connecticut and two people were killed when their pick-up was crushed by a falling tree in New Jersey. Police in Toronto said a woman was killed by a falling sign as high winds closed in on Canada's largest city. A 30-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on his house on 166th Street in Flushing, New York City. Meanwhile a 62-year-old man was killed as he let his dog out on his porch in Oley, Pennsylvania. An eight-year-old boy died when he was crushed by a falling tree in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. And a jogger was reportedly hospitalised after being crushed by a falling tree in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. He pledged to rebuild the Jersey Shore but said that a lot of it had been washed into the sea. Christie confirmed that six had died in the state and told residents of the Garden State to 'hang in'. He added that he didn't want to guess the cost of the damage but believed it would run into billions. New Jersey's barrier islands were hit directly as Sandy made landfall on Monday night and were left with colossal damage due to their exposed location on the open ocean. The gambling mecca of Atlantic City was battered by the storm with the historic boardwalk left in splinters after it was smashed by waves and torn up by the wind. The city's mayor Lorenzo Langford was denounced by Governor Christie after he advised people not to evacuate and 500 had remained in flimsy shelters, only a block from the beach. Christie said on Monday that the decision was 'stupid and selfish’ because the precarious location of Atlantic City would place rescue workers in danger. He said: 'I feel badly for the folks in Atlantic City who listened to him and sheltered in Atlantic City, and I guess my anger has turned to sympathy for those folks, and we’re in the midst now of trying to go in and save them.' The Jersey Shore appeared completely flattened in the before-and-after shots. And in Hoboken, an entire fleet of New York city's iconic yellow cabs were almost entirely submerged by flood waters. Around 120 miles to the south-west, New York City had its own pictorial record of the devastation. A ferocious fire in Breezy Point, Queens, destroyed 111 homes. The New York Fire Department battled to save houses in a neighborhood that is home to hundreds of their fellow firefighters, plunging into neck-deep water and fighting winds to reach the raging inferno. In Dumbo, Brooklyn, the painstakingly restored Jane's Carousel, which is a popular tourist attraction in the area, was badly damaged by flood waters and cut off on its own little island in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Sandy, one of the biggest storms ever to hit the United States, roared ashore with fierce winds and heavy rain on Monday at 8pm (EST) and forced evacuations, shut down transport and interrupted the presidential campaign. New York City was all but closed off by car, train and air. The superstorm overflowed the city's waterfront, flooded the financial district, subway tunnels and cut power to hundreds of thousands. Power is expected to be fully restored in Manhattan and Brooklyn within four days. The New York Stock Exchange will reopen for regular trading on Wednesday after being shut down for two days. Most homeowners who suffered losses from flooding won't be able to benefit from their insurance policies. Broken home: A man and child look in disbelief at a collapsed house in the Cosey Beach neighborhood of East Haven, Connecticut Aftermath: A rainbow and looming clouds appear over the sky in New York's Manhattan after the hurricane stormed the city Damaged: A building that had its facade ripped off by Hurricane Sandy - beds and radiators can be seen in the block Wrecked: A construction site sinks into a large hole on South Street Seaport - the clean-up operation is expected to cost over £12 billion Deluge: Water floods over the barriers in New York. The city's transit system, schools, the stock exchange and Broadway were also shut after a 13ft wall of water caused by the storm surge and high tides brought severe flooding to subways and road tunnels Transformation: A subway station now resembles a river in one of the US's largest cities Submerged: The lobby of Verizon's Corporate headquarters in Manhattan. The headquarter houses executive offices as well as some of the company's key telecom equipment that supports services to New York's financial district Operation clean-up: Debris litters a flooded street in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn after the city awakens to the affects of Hurricane Sandy Standard homeowner policies don't cover flood damage, and few homeowners have flood insurance. But Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said they will offer help to borrowers whose homes were damaged or destroyed, who live in designated disaster areas and whose loans the mortgage giants own or guarantee. Among other steps, mortgage servicers will be allowed to reduce the monthly payments of affected homeowners or require no payments from them temporarily. Rubble: People in Atlantic City view the area where a 2000-foot section of the 'uptown' boardwalk was destroyed by flooding Sand and debris cover a part of town near the ocean in New Jersey after serious flooding ravaged the coastline Chaos: A boat moved by gushing waters rests on the tracks at Metro-North's Ossining Station on the Hudson Line Sweep up: Workers clean up sheets of blown-out glass in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy - many store faces took a beating from the strong winds Challenge: Firefighters tackle a blaze in the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough of New York, in which more than 80 homes were destroyed Upsetting: Tom and Deidre Duffy look through the wreckage of their home at Breezy Point, in Queens, which was devastated by fire Gone: Deidre Duffy studies all that is left of her home at Breezy Point, in the Queens borough of New York Toy: A doll's head can be seen among the charred remains of a house destroyed by fire in the aftermath of the post-tropical storm Left: A map showing track of Hurricane Sandy through New England, with inset showing projected rainfall totals through Wednesday night and right. mid-Atlantic states showing storm surge from the superstorm storm View from above: This aerial photograph shows burned-out homes in the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough of New York after the fire Water, water everywhere: An aerial view of flooding on the bay side of Seaside, New Jersey Flooded areas: Highlighted areas show flooding in New York. An unprecedented 13-foot surge of seawater - 3 feet above the previous record - gushed into Gotham A dead deer is pictured with driftwood and debris left by a combination of storm surge and high tide Precarious: A crane attached to One57, a luxury apartment tower under construction in midtown Manhattan, hangs down after partially collapsing amid gusts from Sandy Shock: Residents look over the remains of burned homes in the Rockaways section Rescued: Hospital workers evacuate a patient Deborah Dadlani from NYU Langone Medical Center during Hurricane Sandy No train service: Veronica De Souza posted this extraordinary picture ('via ninjapito') on Twitter of the 86th Street station with water above the platform Aid at hand: An emergency operations centre in Fairfax County, Virginia, co-ordinates the mammoth response to the severe flooding caused by Sandy Shipping and business travel has been suspended in areas of the Northeast. More than 15,000 flights have been grounded. On Tuesday, more than 6,000 flights were canceled, according to the flight-tracking service FlightAware. More than 500 flights scheduled for Wednesday were also canceled. The three big New York airports were closed on Tuesday. The 1,000-mile-wide storm lashed towns and cities up and down the East Coast, with cars floating down streets in New York City and the 911 system inundated with 10,000 calls every 30 minutes. Scene: A car passes a tree lying on power lines the morning after Hurricane Sandy hit Dartmouth, Massachusetts Obstacle: A driver navigates under a downed tree and power lines in Newton, Massachusetts as dawn breaks Split: The wall of this house in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, shows how hard the East Coast has been pummeled by Sandy Smashed: A giant tree crosses a street, leaving it impassable for any vehicles in Ridgewood, New Jersey Water world: The famous casinos of Atlantic City, New Jersey, were submeraged after superstorm Sandy hit land nearby Lashed with rain: A van skids in the flooded streets of Atlantic city, where casinos are shuttered, tourists have and 500 are trapped in their homes U.S. Route 30, the White Horse Pike, one of three major approaches to Atlantic City, New Jersey, is covered with water from Absecon Bay during the approach of Hurricane Sandy A man stands on a dry patch of sidewalk on a flooded street as Hurricane Sandy moves up the coast Battered by the boardwalk: An empty street in flooded Atlantic City, which has taken a direct hit from the superstorm, forcing residents to flee inland Submerged: A car is covered by water near the Consolidated Edison power plant in New York, after Sandy knocked out power to at least 8million people, and large sections of the city were plunged into darkness Terrifying episode: Heavy waves smash over the seawall in Winthrop, with the 911 system inundated with 10,000 calls every half hour Sea life: A row of houses stands in floodwaters at Grassy Sound in North Wildwood, New Jersey, after the powerful storm lurched westwards and took dead aim at New Jersey and Delaware Devastation: Bulldozers swing into action to clean up Fort Lauderdale after Sandy swept along the coast Breached: Floodwaters from Sandy rush into the Port Authority bus terminal in New Jersey through an elevator shaft Intense: A journalist battles to get to work in ravaged Atlantic City A police car drives through a flooded street near the Atlantic City Convention Center on Monday A flooded street between two casinos along the Boardwalk before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy as 'Frankenstorm' threatened to wreak havoc on the area with storm surges, driving rain and devastating winds Pounding waves have already broken up sections of the Atlantic City boardwalk, according to photos posted to social media and discussion on police and fire scanners Flooding begins to inundate a parking garage ahead of Hurricane Sandy as Governor Chris Christie's emergency declaration shut down the city's casinos and 30,000 residents were ordered to evacuate A car sits in a flooded street near the ocean ahead of Hurricane Sandy today - and the worst is yet to come A security guard stands outside the entrance of Caesar's Casino on the Atlantic City boardwalk, with doors covered with sheets of plywood for protection Skyline: Brooklyn Bridge Park pictured here after it flooded following the arrival of Sandy, which has made landfall on the East Coast of the US Flooding: Water rushes into the Carey Tunnel (previously the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel), caused by Sandy on Monday night in the financial district of New York Flood water rushes into a below-ground carpark in New York's Financial District Raging: More than 50 homes have been destroyed at Breezy Point in the Queens area of New York, as a result of Hurricane Sandy   Eye of the storm: New York was among the hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy. A fire broke out in Breezy Point, Queens, destroying between 80 and 100 houses Battle: More than 190 firefighters have contained the six-alarm blaze fire in the Breezy Point section, but they are still putting out some pockets of fire Destruction: Cars floating after being pushed out a flooded basement in the city during last night's battering Beached: A huge tanker washed up on shore in Staten Island after the superstorm hit the east coast   Transport down: A view of an entirely flooded tunnel under Battery Park. New York was among the hardest hit, with its financial heart in Lower Manhattan shuttered for a second day and seawater cascading into the still-gaping construction pit at the World Trade Center Damaged: A building that had its facade ripped off by Hurricane Sandy - beds and radiators can be seen in the block New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the death toll in the America's most populous city is up to 10. He also says it could be three days or more before power is restored to hundreds of thousands of people now in the dark.     He is giving no estimate on when public transit would be running, though he expects some buses be running later today. He said there have nor been any storm-related fatalities in NYC hospitals. Among the dead in New York were two children killed instantly by a falling tree in Westchester County, a woman electrocuted to death by falling wires in Manhattan and a 29-year-old man killed in a car crash in Queens. A 30-year-old man was also killed when a tree fell on his house in Flushing, Queens. Emergency: President Barack Obama has declared a 'major disaster' in New York and Long Island. Pictured, he receives an update on the ongoing response to Hurricane Sandy, in the Situation Room of the White House, via teleconference Wrecked: A construction site sinks into a large hole on South Street Seaport - the clean-up operation is expected to cost over £12 billion City of water: A flooded street in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn after the city awakens to the affects of Hurricane Sandy. It hit the mainland at 6.30pm local time last night having laid waste to large parts of the coast throughout the day Road blocked: Pieces of lumber displaced from a yard by rising flood waters are seen beneath Manhattan Bridge in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy Deluge: Water floods over the barriers in New York. The city's transit system, schools, the stock exchange and Broadway were also shut after a 13ft wall of water caused by the storm surge and high tides brought severe flooding to subways and road tunnels Transformation: A subway station now resembles a river in one of the US's largest cities Power storm: The full force of the storm is evident by the way a metal shutter has been ripped from the wall Operation clean-up: Debris litters a flooded street in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn after the city awakens to the affects of Hurricane Sandy Mission: A man clears leaves from a sewer drain in lower Manhattan to help the flooding ease The storm caused the worst damage in the 108-year history of New York's extensive subway system, according to Joseph Lhota, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 'This will be one for the record books,' said John Miksad, senior vice president for electric operations at Consolidated Edison, which had more than 670,000 customers without power in and around New York City. An unprecedented 13-foot surge of seawater - 3 feet above the previous record - gushed into Gotham, inundating tunnels, subway stations and the electrical system that powers Wall Street, and sent hospital patients and tourists scrambling for safety. Curiosity turned to concern overnight as New York City residents watched whole neighborhoods disappear into darkness as power was cut. The World Trade Center site was a glowing ghost near the tip of Lower Manhattan. Residents reported seeing no lights but the strobes of emergency vehicles and the glimpses of flashlights in nearby apartments. Lobbies were flooded, cars floated and people started to worry about food. A huge fire destroyed 80 to 100 houses in a flooded beachfront neighborhood Tuesday, forcing firefighters to undertake daring rescues and injuring three people. More than 190 firefighters contained the blaze but were still putting out some pockets of fire more than nine hours after it erupted. As daylight broke, neighbors walked around aimlessly through their smoke-filled Breezy Point neighborhood, which sits on the Rockaway peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. Electrical wires dangled within feet of the street. Officials said the fire was reported around 11 p.m. Monday in an area flooded by the superstorm that began sweeping through the city earlier. Flooded areas: Highlighted areas show flooding in New York. An unprecedented 13-foot surge of seawater - 3 feet above the previous record - gushed into Gotham Drifting: Hurricane Sandy, pictured today moves inland across the mid-Atlantic region after causing carnage in New York Plan of action: Workers survey the damage from a fallen tree in lower Manhattan this morning Debris: A dead deer, right, is pictured with driftwood and debris left by a combination of storm surge as a man holds a battered road sign Ripped from the ground: People pass a fallen tree in the Battery Park neighborhood of Manhattan Firefighters told WABC-TV that the water was chest high on the street, and they had to use a boat to make rescues. They said in one apartment home, about 25 people were trapped in an upstairs unit, and the two-story home next door was ablaze and setting fire to the apartment's roof. Firefighters climbed an awning to get to the trapped people and took them downstairs to a boat in the street. Video footage of the scene showed a hellish swath of tightly packed homes fully engulfed in orange flames as firefighters hauled hoses while sloshing in ankle-high water. Many homes appeared completely flattened by the wind-whipped flames. One firefighter suffered a minor injury and was taken to a hospital. Two civilians suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene. Time to act: President Obama has declared a 'major disaster' in New York and Long Island as swathes of the city woke up under water after a night of being battered by Superstorm Sandy Blackout: The skyline of lower Manhattan sits in darkness after a preventive power outage in New York on Monday night On its own: The New York skyline remains dark on Monday, except for the Empire State Building, as seen from Williamsburg in the Brooklyn borough of New York A tale of two cities: Lower Manhattan in darkness after Sandy struck damaging power and previously New York city's famous lit-up skyline Looking down: These shocking views taken from high-rise buildings in Manhattan show the extent of flooding in New York City after it was hit by Superstorm Sandy Dangerous waves: This photo taken on Monday night shows a flooded street in Manhattan as Superstorm Sandy made its approach in New York Rescued: Hospital workers evacuate a patient Deborah Dadlani from NYU Langone Medical Center during Hurricane Sandy ighting the way: Using torches Deborah Dadlani is moved in the dark from NYU Langone Medical Center In September, the same neighborhood was struck by a tornado that hurled debris in the air, knocked out power and startled residents who once thought of twisters as a Midwestern phenomenon. Skyscrapers swayed and creaked in winds that partially toppled a crane 74 stories above Midtown. Right before dawn, a handful of taxis were out on the streets, though there was an abundance of emergency and police vehicles. The massive storm reached well into the Midwest: Chicago officials warned residents to stay away from the Lake Michigan shore as the city prepares for winds of up to 60 mph and waves exceeding 24 feet well into Wednesday. Remnants of the former Category 1 hurricane were forecast to head across Pennsylvania before taking another sharp turn into western New York by Wednesday morning. Although weakening as it goes, the massive storm - which caused wind warnings from Florida to Canada - will continue to bring heavy rain and local flooding, said Daniel Brown, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. As Hurricane Sandy closed in on the Northeast, it converged with a cold-weather system that turned it into a monstrous hybrid of rain and high wind - and even snow in West Virginia and other mountainous areas inland. Skyline: Brooklyn Bridge Park pictured here after it flooded following the arrival of Sandy, which has made landfall on the East Coast of the US Bang: This image from video provided by Dani Hart shows what appears to be a transformer exploding in lower Manhattan as seen from a building rooftop in Brooklyn Bright light: This photo shows what appear to be transformers exploding after much of lower Manhattan lost power during Superstorm Sandy in New York Flooding: Water rushes into the Carey Tunnel (previously the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel), caused by Sandy on Monday night in the financial district of New York Flood water rushes into a below-ground carpark in New York's Financial District Non-movers: New York City taxis are pictured on a flooded street in Queens after Sandy struck the US East Coast SANDY KILLS AT LEAST 18 PEOPLE At least 33 people have died in the devastation wreaked by Superstorm Sandy - including two children killed instantly by a falling tree. The children - named locally as Jack Baumler, 11, and Michael Robson, 13 - were crushed by the toppled tree as they played outside their home in Westchester County, New York state, at 6.45pm on Monday. Other fatalities include a woman who was electrocuted to death by falling wires on Manhattan’s 134th Street and a 29-year-old man who was killed in a car crash in Queens. A man was crushed by a falling tree in Ulster County, New York State, and one death has been reported in Connecticut and two people were killed when their pick-up was crushed by a falling tree in New Jersey. Police in Toronto said a woman was killed by a falling sign as high winds closed in on Canada's largest city. A 30-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on his house on 166th Street in Flushing, New York City. Meanwhile a 62-year-old man was killed as he let his dog out on his porch in Oley, Pennsylvania. An eight-year-old boy died when he was crushed by a falling tree in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. And a jogger was reportedly hospitalised after being crushed by a falling tree in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Just before it made landfall at 8 p.m. near Atlantic City, N.J., forecasters stripped Sandy of hurricane status - but the distinction was purely technical, based on its shape and internal temperature. It still packed hurricane-force wind, and forecasters were careful to say it was still dangerous to the tens of millions in its path. While the hurricane's 90 mph winds registered as only a Category 1 on a scale of five, it packed 'astoundingly low' barometric pressure, giving it terrific energy to push water inland, said Kerry Emanuel, a professor of meteorology at MIT. Officials blamed at least 16 deaths on the converging storms - five in New York, three each in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, two in Connecticut, and one each in Maryland, North Carolina and West Virginia. Three of the victims were children, one just 8 years old. Sandy, which killed 69 people in the Caribbean before making its way up the Eastern Seaboard, began to hook left at midday Monday toward the New Jersey coast. Even before it made landfall, crashing waves had claimed an old, 50-foot piece of Atlantic City's world-famous Boardwalk. 'We are looking at the highest storm surges ever recorded' in the Northeast, said Jeff Masters, meteorology director for Weather Underground, a private forecasting service. Sitting on the dangerous northeast wall of the storm, the New York metropolitan area got the worst of it Raging: More than 50 homes have been destroyed at Breezy Point in the Queens area of New York, as a result of Hurricane Sandy Water level: Streets are flooded under the Manhattan Bridge in the DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) section of Brooklyn, New York, on Monday night Isolated: Jane's Carousel, the vintage merry-go-round in Brooklyn Bridge Park, in the DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) section of Brooklyn, is 'basically an island now', Instagram user Andjelicaaa said. An explosion at a ConEdison substation knocked out power to about 310,000 customers in Manhattan, said Miksad. 'We see a pop. The whole sky lights up,' said Dani Hart, 30, who was watching the storm from the roof of her building in the Navy Yards. 'It sounded like the Fourth of July,' Stephen Weisbrot said from his 10th-floor apartment. New York University's Tisch Hospital was forced to evacuate 200 patients after its backup generator failed. NYU Medical Dean Robert Grossman said patients - among them 20 babies from neonatal intensive care that were on battery-powered respirators - had to be carried down staircases and to dozens of waiting ambulances. Without power, the hospital had no elevator service, meaning patients had to be carefully carried down staircases and outside into the weather. Gusts of wind blew their blankets as nurses held IVs and other equipment. New York University, Downtown and Manhattan Veterans Affairs hospitals were evacuated. Bellevue and Coney Island hospitals have no power. There have been no storm-related fatalities in the hospitals and there are 6,100 people in city shelters. About 670,000 homes and businesses were without power late Monday in the city and suburban Westchester County. Extraordinary: This CCTV photo shows flood waters from Hurricane Sandy rushing in to the Hoboken PATH train station through an elevator shaft in New Jersey Help: New York City resident Gary He posted this picture with the caption 'Dude in snorkeling mask trying to rescue his friend in Greenpoint (Brooklyn)' City landscape: The Queens Bridge and flooded shore is pictured on Roosevelt Island in New York City on Monday night Precarious: A crane attached to One57, a luxury apartment tower under construction in midtown Manhattan, hangs down after partially collapsing amid gusts from Sandy No go area: An uprooted tree blocks 7th street near Avenue D in the East Village as a result of high winds from Sandy on Monday in Manhattan, New York No train service: Veronica De Souza posted this extraordinary picture ('via ninjapito') on Twitter of the 86th Street station with water above the platform Aid at hand: An emergency operations centre in Fairfax County, Virginia, co-ordinates the mammoth response to the severe flooding caused by Sandy In Schwartz's Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, residents who ignored a mandatory evacuation order awoke to debris-strewn streets and a continued blackout. About 2 inches of mucky dirt and leaves covered streets crisscrossed by downed power lines after water sloshed 12 blocks inland. The doors of the Fairway grocery store were blown out. Several cars left in the parking lot were shifted by flood waters overnight and were left crammed door to door. Schwartz and her husband rode out the storm on the third floor of the residences above the Fairway and said white-capped flood waters reached at least 3 feet around the building. "It was scary how fast the water came up," she said. The facade of a four-story Manhattan building in the Chelsea neighborhood crumbled and collapsed suddenly, leaving the lights, couches, cabinets and desks inside visible from the street. No one was hurt, although some of the falling debris hit a car. Not only was the subway shut down, but the Holland Tunnel connecting New York to New Jersey was closed, as was a tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The Brooklyn Bridge, the George Washington Bridge, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and several other spans were closed due to high winds. The three major airports in the New York area - LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and Kennedy - remained shut down Tuesday. Overall, more than 13,500 flights had been canceled for Monday and Tuesday, almost all related to the storm, according to the flight-tracking service FlightAware. A construction crane atop a $1.5 billion luxury high-rise in midtown Manhattan collapsed in high winds and dangled precariously. Thousands of people were ordered to leave several nearby buildings as a precaution, including 900 guests at the ultramodern Le Parker Meridien hotel. No lights: A power outage is seen on Monday in Manhattan, New York, with Hurricane Sandy threatening 50million people in the Mid-Atlantic area of the US No movement: Vehicles are submerged on 14th Street near the Consolidated Edison power plant on Monday in Manhattan, New York Downed: A fallen tree lays along a darkened Sixth Avenue in Chelsea during a blackout caused by rising river waters as Hurricane Sandy made its approach in New York Alice Goldberg, 15, a tourist from Paris, was watching television in the hotel - whose slogan is 'Uptown, Not Uptight' - when a voice came over the loudspeaker and told everyone to leave. 'They said to take only what we needed, and leave the rest, because we'll come back in two or three days,' she said as she and hundreds of others gathered in the luggage-strewn marble lobby. 'I hope so.' Wall Street remained closed today and U.S. stock exchanges said they were testing contingency plans to ensure trading resumes as soon as possible this week after Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast. U.S. markets will be closed for a second day - the first time since 1888 that the NYSE remained closed for two consecutive days due to weather. The New York Stock Exchange said contingency plans are being tested only as a safety measure. Fire destroyed at least 50 homes Monday night in a flooded neighborhood in the Breezy Point section of the borough of Queens, where the Rockaway peninsula juts into the Atlantic Ocean. Firefighters told WABC-TV that they had to use a boat to rescue residents because the water was chest high on the street. About 25 people were trapped in one home, with two injuries reported. Airlines canceled around 12,500 flights because of the storm, a number that was expected to grow. Off North Carolina, not far from an area known as 'the Graveyard of the Atlantic,' a replica of the 18th-century sailing ship HMS Bounty that was built for the 1962 Marlon Brando movie 'Mutiny on the Bounty' sank when her diesel engine and bilge pumps failed. Coast Guard helicopters plucked 14 crew members from rubber lifeboats bobbing in 18-foot seas. A 15th crew member who was found unresponsive several hours after the others was later pronounced dead. The Bounty's captain was still missing. Going nowhere: Chris Berg posted this picture of the flooded Midtown Tunnel in New York City after Sandy hit the US East Coast on Monday night One of the units at Indian Point, a nuclear power plant about 45 miles north of New York City, was shut down around 10:45 p.m. Monday because of external electrical grid issues, said Entergy Corp., which operates the plant. The company said there was no risk to employees or the public. And officials declared an 'unusual event' at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey Township, N.J., the nation's oldest, when waters surged to 6 feet above sea level during the evening. Within two hours, the situation at the reactor - which was offline for regular maintenance - was upgraded to an alert, the second-lowest in a four-tiered warning system. Oyster Creek provides 9 percent of the state's electricity. In Baltimore, fire officials said four unoccupied rowhouses collapsed in the storm, sending debris into the street but causing no injuries. Meanwhile, a blizzard in far western Maryland caused a pileup of tractor-trailers that blocked the westbound lanes of Interstate 68 on slippery Big Savage Mountain near the town of Finzel. 'It's like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs up here,' said Bill Wiltson, a Maryland State Police dispatcher. Hundreds of miles from the storm's center, gusts topping 60 mph prompted officials to close the port of Portland, Maine, and scaring away several cruise ships. A state of emergency in New Hampshire prompted Vice President Joe Biden to cancel a rally in Keene and Republican nominee Mitt Romney's wife, Ann, to call off her bus tour through the Granite State. Split country: The US forecast today shows a large difference between the East and West coast Causing chaos: A satellite image shows post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy making landfall at 8 p.m. ET on 29 October about 5 miles southwest of Atlantic City, NJ, as seen in this NOAA GOES-13 satellite colorized infrared image from the same time Mammoth storm: This satellite picture released by NASA shows Hurricane Sandy approaching the densely populated US East Coast at 1:35pm EDT on Monday Underwater: A vehicle is submerged on 14th Street near the Consolidated Edison power plant on Monday night in New York Fire rescue: An FDNY inflatable is prepared for launch along 14th street east of Avenue B where water has trapped people in the wake of Hurricane Sandy Hazards: This weather map for today shows how much of the US East Coast has been hit by storm warnings as it is battered by Superstorm Sandy Staying safe: This National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map of the US East Coast shows the various warning levels put in place across the country Journey: Graphic showing the current position of the superstorm after it swept up the US East Coast Moving across: NASA's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua spacecraft captured this infrared image of Hurricane Sandy, another weather front to the west and cold air coming down from Canada at 2:17 p.m. EDT yesterday About 360,000 people in 30 Connecticut towns were urged to leave their homes under mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders. Christi McEldowney was among those who fled to a Fairfield shelter. She and other families brought tents for their children to play in. 'There's something about this storm,' she said. 'I feel it deep inside.' Despite dire warnings and evacuation orders that began Saturday, many stayed put. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie - whose own family had to move to the executive mansion after his home in Mendham, far from the storm's center, lost power - criticized the mayor of Atlantic City for opening shelters there instead of forcing people out. Eugenia Buono, 77, and her neighbor, Elaine DiCandio, 76, were among several dozen people who took shelter at South Kingstown High School in Narragansett, R.I. They live on Harbor Island, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Submerged: Instagram user 'Jesse and Greg' posted this incredible picture of East Village flooding in Manhattan, New York Above waist high: A man wearing a snorkel is seen wading through the water in New York City on Monday night Ship: This photo by Dylan Patrick shows flooding along the Westside Highway near the USS Intrepid, background centre, as Sandy moves through the area Underwater: The surge from New York's East River has flooded East 20th Street, turning the road into a river 'I'm not an idiot,' said Buono, who survived hurricanes Carol in 1954 and Bob in 1991. 'People are very foolish if they don't leave.' Reggie Thomas emerged this morning from his job as a maintenance supervisor at a prison near the overflowing Hudson River, a toothbrush in his front pocket, to find his 2011 Honda with its windows down and a foot (304 millimeters) of water inside. 'It's totaled,' Thomas said, with a shrug. 'You would have needed a boat last night.' Today stock trading is closed in the U.S. again for a second day running - the last time the New York Stock Exchange was closed for weather was in 1985 because of Hurricane Gloria, and it will be the first time since 1888 that the exchange will have been closed for two consecutive days because of weather. Residents in New York City spent much of yesterday trying to salvage normal routines, jogging and snapping pictures of the water while officials warned the worst of the storm had not hit. Water lapped over the seawall in Battery Park City, flooding rail yards, subway tracks, tunnels and roads. Sailboats rock in choppy water at a dock along the Hudson River Greenway as one thousand more troops have been drafted in Leaving: Guests in the lobby of Le Parker Meridien hotel just south of Central Park prepare to move to other hotels after a nearby construction crane collapsed Cars were flooded in the Financial District of New York as Hurricane Sandy threatens 50million people on the East Coast As flood waters surge, expected to rise to 10ft, nearly all bridges and tunnels into and out of New York are closed to the public A person holds onto to a flooded car as the flood water rises in New York Flood waters have overwhelmed the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel as nearly all bridges and tunnels into and out of New York are closed to the public Devastation: A fallen tree and power line ripped from the ground outside homes on Harvard Street in Garden City, New York NYC'S HISTORY OF HURRICANES 1821 Hurricane:Without modern technology, the hurricane in September, 1821, caught New Yorkers off guard when, in one hour, the tide rose 13 feet. The East River and Hudson River breached, with their waters meeting across Lower Manhattan. The area was not largely populated then, so there were few deaths 1893 Hurricane A Category 1 hurricane completely destroyed Hog Island, a resort island in southern Queens 1938 HurricaneNearly 200 people were killed when the Category 3 hurricane swept over Long Island and into New England. It caused millions of dollars of damages in NYC, where it killed 10 people and destroyed hundreds of trees in Central Park 1954, Carol The hurricane, which had sustained winds of more than 100mph, hit eastern Long Island and caused major flooding throughout New York City 1955, Connie and Diane Rain from the two hurricanes caused flooding across the city. There were more than 200 deaths in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey 1960, Donna The hurricane created an 11-foot storm tide in the New York Harbor, inflicting extensive pier damage 1972, Agnes The tropical storm flooded areas from North Caroline to New York and caused 122 deaths and more than $6 billion in damage 1985, Gloria Serious damage was inflicted on Long Island 1996, Bertha The tropical storm washed out the city in July 1966 1999, Floyd The tropical storm hit New Jersey and New York with 60mph winds and dropped up to 15 inches of rain. Flash flooding forced residents from their homes 2011, IreneThe hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm just before hitting the city, which had issued mandatory evacuation orders for those living along the coast. Up to 7 inches of rain fell as winds reached 65 mph. It inflicted an estimated $100 million in damages Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2225108/Hurricane-Sandy-2012-Obama-declares-major-disaster-New-York-33-people-die-Superstorm.html#ixzz2Ano1ICr1 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook The lights go out in New York: One MILLION without power as Bloomberg urges residents to stay home and prepare for the worst of Sandy to hit city   Nearly all bridges and tunnels into and out of New York are closed to the public Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and Queensboro Bridges were closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles by 7pm Mayor Michael Bloomberg said: 'The time for evacuation is now over' Storm surge, expected to rise ten feet, will be highest in New York at 8.15pm Flood waters have already overtaken parts of Brooklyn and Battery Park in Manhattan About 1million power customers across New York metro area have lost power -- including tens of thousands in the city   One million homes in the New York area lost power by 6pm on Monday as Hurricane Sandy barreled toward the New Jersey coast. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged New Yorkers to stay indoors and weather the storm from the relative safety of their homes. Power was out in most of Lower Manhattan south of 26th Street and streets were inundated with flood waters, submerging cars and flooding the Ground Zero construction site. 'The most severe part of the storm is now beginning,' he said at an evening press conference. He added 'The time for relocation or evacuation is now over.' But even if residents of the city wanted to travel, there's nowhere for them to go. Nearly all major crossings into and out of the city have been shut down in preparation for Sandy making landfall. 'The important thing here is stay inside,' Bloomberg said. 'Our advice is try to relax and spend the night in. The worst of it should be over by tomorrow.' The height of the storm surge, which could top ten feet, will hit New York about 8.15pm on Monday -- with dangerously high water rising between 6.30 and 10.30pm. Underwater: The surge from New York's East River has flooded East 20th Street, turning the road into a river The construction site at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan has flooded as the waters rise Sailboats rock in choppy water at a dock along the Hudson River Greenway as one thousand more troops have been drafted in Consolidated Edison spokesman Chris Olert said on Monday evening that the power was out for most of Manhattan south of 26th Street. On the east side, the power outage extended from 29th Street south. There were some scattered areas that still had electricity. Mr Olert said the damage stemmed from flooding and the probable loss of a transmission feeder. The power outage was separate from a planned power cut that Con Ed did in certain lower Manhattan neighborhoods to protect underwater systems from flood damage. Olert said there were 250,000 customers without power in Manhattan. A customer represents a single meter, so the number of people actually affected is likely to be higher. The New York Fire Department responded to a building in Manhattan's West Village when a front wall fell off an collapsed into the street, exposing four apartments to the elements. No injuries were reported. New York Gov Andrew Cuomo is calling up an additional 1,000 National Guard troops, doubling the superstorm force he initially thought would be enough to deal with the impending mayhem due to hit the city. Cars were flooded in the Financial District of New York as Hurricane Sandy threatens 50million people on the East Coast As flood waters surge, expected to rise to 10ft, nearly all bridges and tunnels into and out of New York are closed to the public A person holds onto to a flooded car as the flood water rises in New York Cuomo says the troops will be used to prepare for a possible historic storm surge and to contend with widespread damage and power outages caused by Hurricane Sandy. He already called up 1,000 National Guard troopers on Sunday, saying today the 'cruel irony' is that the state is better prepared now because of last year's tropical storms. The Army Corps of Engineers says the state is very well prepared and more bridges and tunnels around the city are expected to be closed at 7pm. Police evacuated the area surrounding a super luxury high-rise under construction near Carnegie Hall as a rooftop crane dangled precariously in the wind on the roof. Flood waters have overwhelmed the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel as nearly all bridges and tunnels into and out of New York are closed to the public Flood water rushes into a below-ground carpark in New York's Financial District Three friends make their way along a flooded street as the beginning effects of Hurricane Sandy are felt in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn   People walk by sand bags in front of a building in Times Square as Hurricane Sandy begins to affect the area Breaking through: Waves wash over the sea wall near high tide at Battery Park in New York on Monday morning Flood: East River already creeping over at the end of Java Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, where a woman was hit by a fallen tree earlier She's coming: A satellite image taken Sunday morning by the National Hurricane Center shows Sandy heading north     Collapse: The face fell off an apartment building at 14th Street and Eighth Avenue Monday night, exposing four apartments to the elements Cleared out: A shopper in Long Beach in Long Island grabs the few remaining water bottles from the shelves at the Waldbaums grocery store Flooding: A truck drives through water pushed over a road by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New York on Monday as the storm gathers speed All major U.S. stock and options exchanges will remain closed on Tuesday, as will schools and the subway The National Weather Service is reporting 24-foot seas off New Jersey after the storm continues to gather strength as it barrels across the Atlantic. City officials are bracing for the high tide which is expected to come around 8pm with Gov Cuomo warning: 'The worst is still to come. Do not underestimate this storm. He added: 'We are known for our toughness, but we have a sense of community that is very inspirational.' LILCO reported more than 115,000 customers on Long Island were without power from Monday morning. Con Edison said at least 21,000 customers in New York City and in Westchester County are without power, while in upstate New York, 10,600 customers are affected. Two key tunnels connecting Manhattan to New Jersey and Brooklyn would be closed later on Monday ahead of the hurricane. Cuomo said the Holland Tunnel, which opened in 1927 and remains one of the main connections between New Jersey and New York City, would close as a precaution at 2pm. The Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, known locally as the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, will also shut down at the time. New York City bridges will remain open for now, he said at a news conference. Those on the upper floors of high-rise buildings are getting ready to be evacuated because the winds are going to be significantly stronger than those near ground level. An alarm was raised after a crane on West 57th Street collapsed on to a 75-story building. New Yorkers spent most of yesterday cleaning out grocery stores as they stocked up on water, batteries, candles and essential food items. People take pictures in Battery Park along the Hudson River as Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the U.S. East Coast, approaches Workers put sand bags out in front of a building in the Financial District as the beginning effects of Hurricane Sandy are felt in downtown New York New York subways are closed for only the second time in history Paula Buck carries her dog as she walks along a flooded street while evacuating her apartment as the early effects of Hurricane Sandy are felt in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn A man takes pictures of the skyline of New York from a park along the Hudson River across from the Empire State Building as rain falls in Hoboken, New Jersey Waves crash over the bow of a tug boat as it passes near the Statue of Liberty as rough water as a result of Hurricane Sandy churned the waters of New York Harbor Peter Cusack, center, and Mel Bermudez walk their dogs Teague, left, and Molly, along the Brooklyn waterfront beneath the New York skyline as Hurricane Sandy advances on the city U.S. Coast Guard find 'unresponsive' crew member of HMS Bounty... but the captain of iconic boat is still missing at sea 15 of the 16 crew members have now been found The coast guard said 42-year-old Claudene Christian was found this evening and is being taken to hospital The Bounty starred in Hollywood blockbusters Mutiny on the Bounty, starring Marlon Brando, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest The Canadian-made replica vessel got caught in storms near Hatteras, N.C. Rescue teams searching for two missing crew members of HMS Bounty have found one of them - but the captain of the ship is still missing at sea. The U.S. Coast Guard said 42-year-old Claudene Christian was found this evening and is being taken to hospital. It now means 15 of the 16 crew members of the iconic boat are accounted for - with the captain still to be found. Scroll down for video Emergency: This image shows the dramatic moment some of the crew members of HMS Bounty were rescued by the US Coastguard Life-saving: A coastguard crew member uses a hoist to bring up a survivor into a helicopter Safety: Despite the rescue efforts, two of the crewmen are missing, presumed dead This image shows a survivor being pulled into the helicopter These dramatic pictures show the moment stranded crew members of the iconic HMS Bounty were rescued from their life boats by the U.S. coastguard. The crew of the vesselwere forced to abandon ship off the east coast of America today as it became caught in raging seas near the eye of Hurricane Sandy. As six-metre waves and ferocious gales battered the decks of the 180-foot, three-masted ship - knocking out its power - terrified crew-members clambered into life boats to watch their floating home shrink unmanned into the darkness. These pictures show U.S. coastguard teams rescuing the crewmen from their lifeboats. One of the terrified crewmen can be seen being dragged from the lifeboat and into the sea by a brave rescuer. However, following the rescue of 14 crew members, two people - including the ship's captain - were missing at sea. The world-famous boat- which featured in Hollywood blockbusters Mutiny on the Bounty with Marlon Brando and two Pirates of the Caribbean films, starring Johnny Depp - became stranded on Sunday night about 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, North Carolina. HMS Bounty is now a ghost ship, bobbing slowly towards the churning epicentre of what experts believe could be the worst hurricane ever to hit America, raising fears she may never be seen again. Dangerous: This image shows a crewman from the replica tall ship HMS Bounty being aided in the water by a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Relief: Some of the crew members of HMS Bounty are back on dry land after being rescued by the coastguard team Recovery: The survivors were wrapped up warmly in blankets and coats after spending time stranded in a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean Injured: This HMS Bounty crew member appears to have a red mark on his face following his rescue. Along with other survivors he was taken to the Coast Guard Air Station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina Heroic: Three helicopters were used by the coastguard team to rescue the 14 crew men The crew were picked hours later up by a search and rescue team who were dispatched by helicopter to bring them to safety. But concern is now growing that this may be the final voyage of the historic replica after the coast guard said it may not have time to retrieve her before it becomes too dangerous. Trouble at sea: The Bounty - which featured in Hollywood blockbusters Mutiny on the Bounty and Pirates of the Caribbean - sailed into trouble on Sunday night after losing power Alone at sea: She is now a ghost ship, bobbing unmanned towards the churning epicentre of what experts believe could be the worst hurricane ever to hit America 'The 17 person crew donned cold water survival suits and lifejackets before launching in two 25-man lifeboats with canopies,' the Coast Guard said in a statement. The ship was built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia for the 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty that starred Marlon Brando. Starring role: The Canada-built replica of HMS Bounty feature in two Pirates of the Caribbean films. Pictured left to right in 2007: Chinese Pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat), Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), and Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) World famous: The replica ship was built for the 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty that starred Marlon Brando, pictured on set with co-star Trevor Howard It is a replica of the British Navy's original HMS Bounty on which the famous mutiny took place in Tahiti in 1789 and is now used as a sailing school for prospective seafarers. It was built using the original ship drawings from files in the British admiralty archives, but its dimensions were enlarged by around a third to fit the enormous 70 mm cameras used in the filming. Some 400,000 feet of lumber were used, 10,000 square yards of canvas were sewn by hand and 10 miles of rope were rigged before it was ready for the silver screen. Bad bearings: The ship ran into trouble some 90 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina Eye of the storm: The world-famous vessel became stranded on Sunday night about 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, North Carolina Fears: But fears are now growing that this may be the final voyage of the historic replica after the coast guard said it may not have time to retrieve her before it becomes too dangerous Testing: U.S. Navy sailors from the submarine USS Mississippi test the wheel earlier this month during a sail aboard the square rigged sailing ship HMS Bounty The plan was to burn the ship in a dramatic final act, but Marlon Brando had become so attached to the vessel that he threatened to walk out in protest so, rather than lose their star, its owners MGM agreed to keep it in service. It has since become one of Hollywood's most famous ships and was used in filming for the 1989 film Treasure Island with Charlton Heston and also appeared in two of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, both starring Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley. This year it was put up for sale by its current owners for $4.6 million. 'Bounty': It is an exact replica of the British Navy's original HMS Bounty on which the famous mutiny took place in Tahiti in 1789 The mutiny that took place aboard the original Bounty is one of the most famous of all seafaring tales. It was led by Fletcher Christian, played in the 1962 film by Marlon Brando, against commanding officer Lieutenant William Bligh, played by Trevor Howard, on 28 April 1789. According to most reports, the crew had become fed up with the rod of iron with which Lt. Bligh commanded the ship and decided overthrow him to start new lives on the Pacific Islands. They rounded up Lt Bligh and a handful of his loyal seamen and set them afloat in a dinghy leaving them to their fate. The men then settled in on Pitcairn Island and in Tahiti before burning HMS Bounty to avoid detection where many of their descendants remain to this day.   Some parts of the deserted streets showed early signs of flooding this morning just hours before the worst is expected to hit at 4pm AccuWeather meteorologist Mark Paquette warned that high tides will surge as much as 11 feet above normal tonight because of storm surges and a full moon. 'The afternoon commute should be just horrific. We’re talking record-level flooding along the Hudson River, plenty of debris being flown around, widespread outages.' NYC'S HISTORY OF HURRICANES 1821 Hurricane: Without modern technology, the hurricane in September, 1821, caught New Yorkers off guard when, in one hour, the tide rose 13 feet. The East River and Hudson River breached, with their waters meeting across Lower Manhattan. The area was not largely populated then, so there were few deaths 1893 Hurricane A Category 1 hurricane completely destroyed Hog Island, a resort island in southern Queens 1938 Hurricane Nearly 200 people were killed when the Category 3 hurricane swept over Long Island and into New England. It caused millions of dollars of damages in NYC, where it killed 10 people and destroyed hundreds of trees in Central Park 1954, Carol The hurricane, which had sustained winds of more than 100mph, hit eastern Long Island and caused major flooding throughout New York City 1955, Connie and Diane Rain from the two hurricanes caused flooding across the city. There were more than 200 deaths in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey 1960, Donna The hurricane created an 11-foot storm tide in the New York Harbor, inflicting extensive pier damage 1972, Agnes The tropical storm flooded areas from North Caroline to New York and caused 122 deaths and more than $6 billion in damage 1985, Gloria Serious damage was inflicted on Long Island 1996, Bertha The tropical storm washed out the city in July 1966 1999, Floyd The tropical storm hit New Jersey and New York with 60mph winds and dropped up to 15 inches of rain. Flash flooding forced residents from their homes 2011, Irene The hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm just before hitting the city, which had issued mandatory evacuation orders for those living along the coast. Up to 7 inches of rain fell as winds reached 65 mph. It inflicted an estimated $100 million in damages Source: Information from the New York City and Nassau County Offices of Emergency Management With the effects of Sandy expected to linger into Wednesday, there was no word on when things would be back to normal. The storm was likely to be the worst in the region since 1938, when a hurricane killed 60 people in New York state alone and sent the new Empire State Building swaying. And with Hurricane Sandy poised to make a direct hit on New Jersey, Gov Chris Christie on Sunday issued a typically blunt warning to those thinking of riding it out in low-lying areas akin to his 'get the hell off the beach' announcement last year, saying: 'Don't be stupid. Get out.' The storm was still hundreds of miles away, but was already making its approach known to New Jersey on Sunday with high winds, rough surf and coastal flooding as thousands of people fled to what they hoped would be safer ground. President Barack Obama signed an emergency declaration for New Jersey on Sunday, which will allow the state to request federal funding and other assistance for action taken in advance of the storm. 'I think this one's going to do us in,' said Marc Palazzolo, owner of a bait and tackle shop on an inlet to the ocean in Point Pleasant Beach. 'I got a call from a friend of mine from Florida last night who said, "Marc: Get out! If it's not the storm, it'll be the aftermath. People are going to be fighting in the streets over gasoline and food", he said. Last night, frantic passengers sprinted for the last trains pulling out of Grand Central Station in New York City as the transport system shut down for only the second time in history. Cavernous Grand Central on 42nd Street was eerily deserted as the NYPD patrolled to make sure every passenger had left. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that those living in low-lying areas must evacuate and that all public schools will be closed today as the storm barrels towards the city. He also warned people not to forget about their pets, telling them to bring them with them as no one knows when they may get home again. At around 9am, there was a power outage in Rosedale, Queens, affecting approximately 1,000 customers, according to the New York Daily News. Just before 8am there was a power outage in Flatbush affecting approximately 1,571 customers. Police officers went door-to-door last night, taking the names of those who had ignored the mandatory evacuation order. Businesses are closed and pedestrians walk through mostly deserted streets in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan, New York, right, as the Hudson River swells and rises over the banks of the Hoboken, left Police have closed off Seventh Avenue between 58th and 55th Streets. All occupants of buildings on West 57th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues have been advised to move to the lower floors. The streets were deserted from early this morning after 375,000 people were evacuated from their homes, subways stopped and shops and businesses closed in preparation for what is thought to be one of the worst storms in history. A 14-foot wall of water is expected to pummel the east coast after 5pm today and residents are bracing themselves for winds of up to 90mph - with the tunnels in and out of the city shut down at 2pm. Subways, schools and the stock exchange will be closed tomorrow as well. A crane collapsed on a 75-story building on West 57th Street and two alarms were raised to warn people of impending danger Workers stack sandbags near the World Trade Center, left, and a man tries to bike through a flooded street as the beginning effects of Hurricane Sandy are felt in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, right Escape from New York: Passengers run for the last trains leaving Grand Central on Sunday night New Yorkers were quick to respond, rushing to snatch up essentials and leaving lines stretching out the doors of grocery stores. Staples like bread and water flew off the shelves as the city's 8million residents prepared for the megastorm. The mayor urged residents of New York to stay inside as much as possible starting at sundown tonight, warning of winds reaching more than 90mph and torrential rain. In addition to low-lying areas of Manhattan, Bloomberg ordered that residents of the Rockaways, a low-lying area of Queens by Jamaica Bay, evacuate. Deadly: A comparison of Hurricane Irene in 2011 (top) and Hurricane Sandy (bottom) shows the much stronger this year's storm threatens to be The storm strengthened overnight to nearly 1,000 miles wide with winds in excess of 90 miles per hour as it accelerated north at a speed of 28mph. Its pressure has also dropped to record lows, which meant the storm was strengthening further. The worst of the Category 1 hurricane is expected to bring a 'life-threatening' surge of seawater up to 11 feet high, coastal hurricane winds and a barrage of heavy snow in the Appalachian Mountains. Already the hurricane is showing its breathtaking power as hundreds of thousands of residents scrambled to higher ground, public transport systems shut down, thousands of homes were without power and thousands of flights across the country were cancelled. The Hudson River which connects New Jersey and Manhattan's west side has breached - already inflicting more damage than Hurricane Irene last year. The last hurricane in which waters significantly breached the city's riverbanks and caused wide-spread flooding was in September 1821. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told a press conference at 5.30pm (EST) that the hurricane had doubled its speed, meaning it should make landfall several hours ahead of schedule at around 7pm. Governor Christie described this as 'good news' as it was several hours before high tide along the New Jersey coastline. CBSreported that wind gusts of 38 mph have been felt in New York City, while winds of 41 mph have rattled Boston. Across Norfolk, Virginia, residents were knee-deep in floodwaters as they travelled to work or scrambled to stock up on last-minute groceries. In the southeast of the state, tides are expected to run between five and eight feet above normal. Floodwaters were also seeping into New York, with homes in Gilgo, Long Island becoming quickly submerged. In Boone, North Carolina, snow began falling at 8am; the Appalachian mountain town is expected to suffer a miserable few days with snow, rain and temperatures struggling to get out of the 30s. Up to eight inches of snow is expected but, in places of higher elevation, there may be as many as 12, while in West Virginia, 2 to 3 feet of snow could fall. In Oak Orchard, Delaware, rescue efforts by the National Guard and local authorities were already underway for residents who had failed to heed the mandatory evacuation issued over the weekend. Fears: Strong winds snapped a crane at the top of a tower in Manhattan, as tweeted by Piers Morgan, left. In Delaware County, Pennsylvania, a tree smashed into a home on Monday morning causing significant damage and destroying the neighbour's deck. A child was also taken to the hospital Obama warned New Yorkers to expect a lot of water and a lot of fallen trees President Barack Obama called on Americans yesterday to take Hurricane Sandy 'very seriously', urging them to heed the instructions of local and state authorities End of the line: The last few people make their way through Grand Central Station in New York as the subway shut down tonight for only the second time in history   All aboard? A subway worker looks up and down the platform as the subway shuts down at 7pm on Sunday night Eerie: A strange stillness came over Grand Central on 42nd Street, usually one of the busiest junctions in New York City Locking up: Assistant Station Master Cory Harris chains the doors of Grand Central Station as a city-wide transit shutdown came into force tonight No entry: Caution tape covers the entrance to the Times Square Subway Station Heading home: A woman tries to find cell signal on the last subway shuttle from Grand Central Station 'If you don't evacuate, you are not only endangering your life, you are also endangering the lives of the first responders who are going in to rescue you,' he said today. 'This is a serious and dangerous storm.' New York Governor Andrew Cuomo echoed Bloomberg’s warnings. 'A situation like this, you don't want to be overly panicked and overly prepared, but you want to be prudent, you want to do what's necessary,' he said. Cuomo also said the National Guard would be deployed, 200 troops in New York City, and 400 on Long Island.   People stand on a pier as waves crash into the beach as the beginning effects of Hurricane Sandy are felt in Coney Island in Brooklyn Taking cover: A boarded up Broad Street subway station across the street from the New York Stock Exchange Heading home: The New York subway system was closing at 7pm tonight - only the second time in history Stockpile: People try to get through the aisles at Whole Foods Market in midtown Manhattan Packed: Customers wait in line to buy groceries at the Fairway super market in New York Gathering: Shoppers stock up on supplies ahead of Hurricane Sandy in New York today Hydration transportation: A woman drags a basket full of bottled water down 7th Ave in a Duane Reade cart Cyclone: A NASA satellite image taken at 4pm Sunday shows Sandy's devastating path from space The New York Stock Exchange closed the trading floor on both Monday and Tuesday because it lies within a mandatory evacuation zone. They had planned to continue electronically but decided to cease all trading as news of the strengthening storm reached them. In addition, nearly 4,000 flights were canceled for Monday, with 857 cancellations at Newark in New Jersey, followed by 632 at New York's Kennedy Airport and more than 500 cancellations at both New York's LaGuardia and Philadelphia International. FlightAware said it expects the number of flight cancellations for Monday and Tuesday to 'rise considerably.' A spokesman for United Airlines parent United Continental Holdings Inc. told the Associated Press that the carrier has suspended an unspecified number of flights to New York and Washington-area airports beginning Sunday evening with plans to resume Tuesday as conditions permit. JetBlue Airways, which flies out of JFK, said it has canceled more than 1,000 flights from Sunday through Wednesday morning. Superstorm Sandy finally makes landfall as deadly front slams into East Coast with millions fearing the worst   Deadly storm strengthens to nearly 1,000 miles wide with winds of 100mph reported on RFK bridge, Manhattan 30-year-old man dies after being hit by a falling tree in Queens, New York, as hurricane strikes Two people killed in New Jersey, according to Local Emergency Management Office Large parts of Manhattan fall into darkness as power supplies fail 500 rescued in Atlantic City, New Jersey as storm batters Cape May New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said: 'The most severe part of the storm in now beginning' Subway remains closed on Monday - the second time in history New York Stock Exchange closes trading floor on Monday and Tuesday Broadway shows cancelled on Monday night Storm damage expected to cause damage costing $20billion to the economy and in losses   Hurricane Sandy slammed into the East Coast around 6.30pm EST last night as millions of Americans are warned it was still unsafe as the rain eases. Three people were killed by falling trees as the storm lashed towns and cities. A 30-year-old man died after being hit by a tree in Queens, New York, and two more people were killed when a tree landed on their car. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed that cars were floating down flood-hit streets in Lower Manhattan. Mr Cuomo said that the 911 system was being inundated with 10,000 calls every half an hour. He said: 'Please do not call 911 unless it's a life-threatening emergency.'   Howling: Conditions in New Jersey deteriorate as the superstorm makes landfall, causing widespread destruction Slammed: People take shelter on the flooded pier as the effects of Hurricane Sandy are felt in Rockaway Beach, New York Emergency: Braving horrendous conditions, a worker uses a chainsaw to cut up a felled tree that knocked over a street light in York City, Pennsylvania, as Superstorm Sandy continues on its path Ground Zero: The construction site at Ground Zero is inundated by flood waters in Lower Manhattan Power out: Lower Manhattan goes dark as Hurricane Sandy sweeps across America's East Coast, causing untold damage and putting lives at risk Submerged: Cars disappear from view as water rises in New York's flood-hit financial district, which lay in Hurricane Sandy's path Submerged: Water from Manhattan's East River floods East 20th Street during Hurricane Sandy Dangerous: A woman wades through the water in New York as cars become submerged in the floods Floods: Vehicles are submerged during a storm surge near the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in New York Dramatic: A CCTV monitor shows floodwater rushing into the subway system in New York as Hurricane Sandy causes widespread devastation Waves in the city: Streets are flooded under the Manhattan Bridge in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn, New York Waterproofs: Wearing wellington boots and a hooded jacket, a resident navigates the flooded streets of the Dumbo neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York Sandy had laid waste to large parts of the coast throughout the day, leaving more than two million without power in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia while whole cities have been flooded and billions of dollars of damage expected. But as darkness fell, Sandy was about to make landfall at Cape May, New Jersey. Winds rose up to 90mph with fresh warnings that the 'most severe part of the storm is now beginning'. Storm surges of more than 12ft have already been recorded in Long Island, with waters rising quickly in Lower Manhattan as high tide approaches. Howling winds of 100mph have been reported on the RFK Bridge in upper Manhattan as gales were expected to last for hours. Sandy has revealed the first signs of her monstrous power, dumping snow, breaching rivers and forcing floodwaters into towns and homes across the East Coast. New YorkMayor Michael Bloomberg told citizens at a 6pm press conference that: 'The most severe part of the storm is now beginning' and warned people that the time for evacuation was now over and to stay indoors, with the peak surge in the city's harbor lasting until 10.30pm (EST). Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, RFK and Queensboro bridges in New York will shut at 7pm. A below-ground carpark in the Financial District of New York floods as waters rushes into the garage All Broadway shows had been cancelled on Monday evening. Utilities company ConEd had called customers to warn it will shut off power lines across Manhattan and Brooklyn, meaning millions more will be affected. Consolidated Edison spokesman Chris Olert said on Monday evening that the power was out for most of Manhattan south of 26th Street. On the east side, the power outage extended from 29th Street south. There were some scattered areas that still had electricity. Olert said the damage stemmed from flooding and the probable loss of a transmission feeder. The power outage was separate from a planned power cut that Con Ed did in certain lower Manhattan neighborhoods to protect underwater systems from flood damage. Olert said there were 250,000 customers without power in Manhattan. A customer represents a single meter, so the number of people actually affected is likely higher. The company shut off power in 200,000 homes in the area in last year's Hurricane Irene - but this year's storm packs a much fiercer punch. Atlantic Cityofficials were trying to rescue around 500 people trapped in their homes during the direct hit. Most of the city's 40,000 residents had evacuated as directed. Concern: Governor Andrew Cuomo (centre) inspects a deluge of water flooding the Battery Tunnel in Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy approaches New York Crash: A fallen tree with its roots ripped from the road and a power line lie over homes on Harvard Street in Garden City, New York Here it comes! Hurricane Sandy barrels into Cape May, New Jersey today Ferocious: The storm kicks off in Southampton, New York today as the brutal weather conditions bear down on the East Coast Saved: An elderly man is rescued by volunteer firemen in West Atlantic City, New Jersey, as the hurricane causes colossal damage to East Coast towns and cities All along the waterfront: A police car patrols the waterfront in Brooklyn, New York this evening as Sandy batters the Big Apple Here it comes: The waves rise in Edgewater, New Jersey as Hurricane Sandy lashes the East Coast Landfall: Ocean waves kick up near homes along Peggoty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts Making waves: Heavy surf crashes over a seawall during the early stages of Hurricane Sandy in Kennebunk, Maine Threatening: Rising water from the Hudson River overtakes a bank drive-through in Edgewater, New Jersey Vicious: Waves crash against a previously damaged pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey before landfall of Hurricane Sandy before flooding communities Wide open: A row of houses stands in floodwaters at Grassy Sound in North Wildwood, New Jersey as Hurricane Sandy pounds the East Coast Taken off: A trampoline becomes caught in the power lines on Norman Drive in Long Island as Hurricane Sandy gathers speed Beached: A boat washes ashore on Carson Beach as wind and waves from Hurricane Sandy hit the north-east coast of the US Wintry scene: A student walks across the lawn at Davis & Elkins College as Hurricane Sandy brings heavy snow to Elkins, West Virginia   Flooding: A truck drives through water pushed over a road by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New York on Monday as the storm gathers speed Rising: Pieces of the boardwalk float in sections through the flooded streets of Atlantic City - which is expected to get the brunt of the storm tonight In Ocean City, New Jersey, residents snapped photos of the extreme flooding, as officials added: 'The ocean has met the bay. We have never seen anything like this.' Off the coast of North Carolina, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued 14 of the 16 crew members who abandoned the replica ship HMS Bounty, using helicopters to lift them from life rafts. The Coast Guard continued to search for the two missing crew members about 160 miles from the storm. The hurricane could cause a total of $20 billion in economic damage and losses to homes, travellers and retailers forced to close stores. Insured losses may reach $5 billion to $10 billion, or about half of the total, according to an estimate today by risk model provider Eqecat Inc., Bloombergreported. Sandy has already killed at least 66 people - including 51 in Haiti - in the Caribbean before pounding U.S. coastal areas with rain. Nine U.S. states have now declared states of emergency, with Connecticut most recently joining other eastern states and announcing it would shut down all highways at 1pm. The National Guard is poised to swoop into states to help. Caution: Obama warned the public to remain alert during a press conference in the White House On its way: Hurricane Sandy is pictured churning off the east coast on Monday morning. The monster storm is expected to hit New Jersey Monday night State of emergency: New Yorkers in Red Zone A face the highest risk of flooding from storm surges and Mayor Bloomberg ordered their mandatory evacuation Destruction: Long Island Power Authority personnel view a fallen tree limb suspended on a power line that fell as a result of the powerful winds Wash out: Debris from a sea wall and a damaged pier litters a parking lot at Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina after Sandy's wind passed through Felled: A broken tree is seen during winds as the Path Station starts to get flooded in Hoboken, New Jersey Flooded: People walk down a submerged street in Atlantic City, where the storm will hit land later on Monday In deep: A photo uploaded to Twitter shows the catastrophic storm surge underway near Ocean City, New Jersey On approach: A pedestrian crosses a vacant Market street with winds and rain from the hurricane in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania HURRICANE SANDY BY NUMBERS 50million People in Sandy's path 66 Deaths already caused by Sandy across the Caribbean 90 Miles per hour of wind gusts forecasted 1,000 Miles wide that storm will reach as it barrels north on land 9 States where state of emergency has been declared 765,000 People already without power 375,000 New Yorkers ordered to evacuate low lying areas of the city 36 Hours Hurricane Sandy could batter the New York City - compared to 12 from Irene last year 27 Years since the New York Stock Exchange closed for a day due to weather 11 Feet of storm surges expected 12 Inches of snow expected in some parts of North Carolina President Obama warned the nation to brace itself as the hurricane churns north, with 50 million people in its path. 'This is going to be a big storm,' he said in a press conference at the White House on Monday afternoon. 'It's going to be a difficult storm... We are certain this is going to be a slow-moving process through a wide swathe of the country and millions of people will be affected. 'Please listen to what your state and local officials are saying. Do not delay, do not pause, do not question. For folks who are not following instructions, you are putting first responders at danger.' He added: 'The good news is we will clean up and we will get through this.' Forecasters said Sandy, dubbed 'Frankenstorm', could surge to a 'super storm' as it joins an Arctic jet stream, sparking flash floods and snow storms - and making it unlike anything seen over the eastern United States in decades. According to CBS Newshurricane consultant David Bernard, the pressure is dropping, which means the storm is strengthening. Its pressure is 943 millibars, setting a new lowest pressure north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and beating the previous low set in 1938. 'The last time we saw anything like this was never,' Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said on Sunday. 'I don't know how to say it any clearer than that it is the largest threat to human life our state has experienced in anyone's lifetime.' New Jersey Governor Chris Christie added: 'Don't be stupid. Get out!' New York and other cities and towns have closed their transit systems and ordered mass evacuations from low-lying areas ahead of the storm surge. Airlines canceled flights, bridges and tunnels closed, and national passenger rail operator Amtrak suspended nearly all service on the East Coast. Classes were cancelled on Monday for more than two million public school students in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore, while universities and government offices in states including Washington and New Jersey were shut down. Concerned residents in the hurricane's path swarmed grocery stores, searching for generators, flashlights, batteries and food in anticipation of power outages. Nearly 284,000 residential properties valued at $88 billion are at risk for damage, risk analysts at CoreLogic said. The National Hurricane Center warned that residents in higher floors will be at a greater risk than those nearer ground level when howling winds rattle through. The skies above New York begin to blacken as the first signs of the approaching megastorm form Raging waters: The New York City skyline and Hudson River are seen from Hoboken, New Jersey as Hurricane Sandy approaches Breaking through: As Hurricane Sandy barreled towards New York on Monday, the Hudson River breached, forcing water into Manhattan walkways and parks   Close up: The crane hangs precariously from the side of 157 W. 57th Street after wind has damaged it before the expected landfall Surveying the storm: Jack Devnew looks at the water covering a dock as he checks on his boat at a marina near downtown Norfolk, Virginia All U.S. stock markets will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, the operator of the New York Stock Exchange said, reversing an earlier plan that would have kept electronic trading going on. Sandy forced President Obama and Mitt Romney to cancel some campaign stops and fuelled concern it could disrupt early voting - encouraged by the candidates this year more than ever - before the November 6 election. The United Nations, Broadway theaters, New Jersey casinos, schools up and down the Eastern Seaboard, and myriad corporate events were also being shut down on Monday. Residents along the New Jersey coast were warned they may not survive Hurricane Sandy if they do not evacuate low-lying areas. The National Weather Service issued the stark warning last night as the massive weather front surged closer to the East Coast. A statement read: 'If you are reluctant [to evacuate], think about your loved ones...think about the rescue/recovery teams who will rescue you if you are injured or recover your remains if you do not survive.' Running for cover: A family braces against ocean spray as waves crash against a seawall in Scituate, Massachusetts on Monday Soaked: Homes in Ocean City in New Jersey are already submerged - hours ahead of the storm's expected arrival Damage: Water pushed in by Hurricane Sandy surrounds a house in Southampton, New York Rocky: Sailboats rock in choppy water at a dock along the Hudson River near Manhattan during the storm Desperate: Two boys run to dodge high winds and waves from the effects of Hurricane Sandy in Marshfield, Massachusetts Havoc: A car crushed by a fallen tree sits along Montauk Highway as Hurricane Sandy approaches in Bay Shore, New York Under a cloud: After canceling his appearance at a campaign rally in Orlando, Florida, President Obama walks to the White House in the rain GOVT PLEA: AVOID CALLING ON CELL PHONES AND TEXT INSTEAD As Hurricane Sandy nears the East Coast, the Federal Emergency Management Agency took to Twitter to advise followers on how to use their cell phones in the storm. 'Phone lines may be congested during/after Sandy. Let loved ones know you're OK by sending a text or updating your social networks,' it wrote. Voice calls use more bandwidth than text messages. By staying off the phone, it will reduce the unavoidable havoc to mobile carriers. About 50 million people from the Mid-Atlantic to Canada are in the path of the 1,000-mile-wide monster, which is expected to topple trees, damage buildings, cause power outages and trigger heavy flooding. Many workers planned to stay home on Monday, while thousands of flights into and out of the U.S. northeast were grounded on as airports closed, stranding passengers from Hong Kong to Europe. The massive storm threatens to bring a near halt to air travel for at least two days in a key region for both domestic and international flights. More than 11,500 flights have been cancelled so far - already leaving a backlog of tens of thousands. The storm is also expected to inflict power outages along the east coast, with officials already expressing fears that homes and businesses could be without power for days. 'We could be talking about weeks,' Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy warned. Officials told residents to head for higher ground as evacuations were ordered on the East Coast including a mandatory one for New York City which saw Mayor Bloomberg advise 375,000 people to leave low-lying areas. Extremes: Snow covers Mountain Lake Road at an elevation of 4000 feet in Giles County, Virginia. About three inches of snow was measured in a snow gauge at a nearby hotel, the first snow fall of the year thanks to Sandy Violent: Waves from Hurricane Sandy crash onto the damaged Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina as Sandy churns up the East Coast Treacherous: After checking to make sure his boat line is secure, Bob Casseday crosses the flooded street just over the bridge along Savannah Road in Lewes, Delaware on Monday The New York subway closed at 7pm on Sunday for only the second time in history, meaning that almost 12million people will be prevented from taking their usual route to work. The MTA said the duration of the service suspension is 'unknown' and that 'service will be restored only when it is safe to do so, after careful inspections of all equipment and tracks.' More...   Crane dangles over Manhattan after collapsing on top of luxury high rise near Central Park 'Most of the city is under water': Thousands flee amid scenes of devastation as Atlantic City bears brunt of Hurricane Sandy Tragedy on the Bounty: Two missing, presumed dead as crew abandon movie replica ship before it sinks after being hit by Sandy Sandy looks even scarier from space! Nasa's terrifying time-lapse video shows colossal storm system heading for landfall How Frankenstorm was created: Hurricane Sandy's clash with vicious nor'easter made for 'once-in-a-lifetime' event Hurricane size idiots: Meet the foolish daredevils who just can't resist getting a closer look at Sandy   Transport officials warned: 'Even with minimal damage this is expected to be a lengthy process.' The New York Stock Exchange said on Sunday it is putting in place contingency plans and will announce later when the trading floor will reopen. It is the first time in 27 years the NYSE has been forced to close due to the weather. Ominous: A man watches the ferocious waves on Sunday in Berlin, Maryland NEW YORK'S WORST STORMS 1821 HurricaneWithout modern technology, the hurricane on September, 1821 caught New Yorkers off guard when, in one hour, the tide rose 13 feet. The East River and Hudson River breached, with their waters meeting across Lower Manhattan. The area was not largely populated then, so there were few deaths 1893 HurricaneA Category 1 hurricane completely destroyed Hog Island, a resort island in southern Queens 1938 HurricaneNearly 200 people were killed when the Category 3 hurricane swept over Long Island and into New England. It caused millions of dollars of damages in NYC, where it killed 10 people and destroyed hundreds of trees in Central Park 1954, Carol The hurricane, which had sustained winds of more than 100mph, hit eastern Long Island and caused major flooding throughout New York City 1955, Connie and Diane Rain from the two hurricanes caused flooding across the city. There were more than 200 deaths in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey 1960, Donna The hurricane created an 11-foot storm tide in the New York Harbor, inflicting extensive pier damage 1972, Agnes The tropical storm flooded areas from North Caroline to New York and caused 122 deaths and more than $6 billion in damage 1985, Gloria Serious damage was inflicted on Long Island 1996, Bertha The tropical storm washed out the city in July 1966 1999, FloydThe tropical storm hit New Jersey and New York with 60mph winds and dropped up to 15 inches of rain. Flash flooding forced residents from their homes 2011, IreneThe hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm just before hitting the city, which had issued mandatory evacuation orders for those living along the coast. Up to 7 inches of rain fell as winds reached 65 mph. It inflicted an estimated $100 million in damages New York City and Nassau County Offices of Emergency Management A blizzard led to a late start and an early close on January 8, 1996. The NYSE shut down on March 27, 1985 for Hurricane Gloria. Since the Great Depression, the longest suspension in trading at the NYSE occurred after 9/11 when the exchange closed for four days. The sheer size of the storm meant its effects would be felt from the mid-Atlantic states to New England. Officials issued warnings meant to reduce the risk of mass casualties as the National Guard was deployed to New York City. All along the U.S. coast worried residents packed into stores, buying generators, candles, food and other supplies in anticipation of power outages. 'They're freaking out,' said Joe Dautel, a clerk at a hardware store in Glenside, Pennsylvania. 'I'm selling people four, five, six packs of batteries - when I had them.' Mark Palazzolo, who has boarded up his bait-and-tackle shop in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J with the same wood he used in past storms, crossing out the names of Hurricanes Isaac and Irene, said: 'I think this one's going to do us in. 'I got a call from a friend of mine from Florida last night who said, "Mark, get out! If it's not the storm, it'll be the aftermath. People are going to be fighting in the streets over gasoline and food."' Obama met with federal emergency officials for an update on the Category 1 storm's path and the danger it poses to the Mid-Atlantic and New England. 'My main message to everybody involved is that we have to take this seriously,' said Obama. He urged people to 'listen to your local officials.' The President said emergency officials were confident that staging for the storm was in place. Obama traveled the nearly three miles from the White House to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's headquarters in his motorcade. As part of the briefing, the president also met with FEMA workers and thanked them. 'My message to the governors as well as to the mayors is anything they need, we will be there, and we will cut through red tape. 'We are not going to get bogged down with a lot of rules,' he said. 'We want to make sure we are anticipating and leaning forward into making sure that we have the best possible response to what is going to be a big and messy system.' The storm surge could be higher than the Manhattan flood walls and pour into subway tunnels. Mayor Bloomberg said he ordered an evacuation of the low-lying areas along the edges of the city including parts of lower Manhattan, sections of Brooklyn and Staten Island, and the Rockaways in Queens. He said 72 evacuation centres had been created around the city and he also ordered the closure of schools. Mayor Bloomberg said: 'If you don’t evacuate, you are not only endangering your life, you are also endangering the lives of the first responders who are going in to rescue you,' he said at a news conference Sunday. 'This is a serious and dangerous storm.' He added that those who didn’t leave wouldn’t be arrested. New York City police officers went door-to-door this evening to take down the names of those who had decided not to leave. To help direct any response to the damage caused by Sandy, Governor Andrew Cuomo has directed the New York Army and Air National Guard to mobilize in response to Hurricane Sandy. Cuomo said the Guard will deploy up to 1,175 troops starting on Sunday. They'll help local authorities respond to storm damage in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and the Southern Tier. On Sunday, 200 New York Army National Guard soldiers were deployed to New York City. By 6pm Monday, Cuomo said 250 soldiers and 150 airmen would be in place on Long Island. Another 200 soldiers will go on duty Monday at armories in Binghamton, Walton, and Horseheads in the Southern Tier. Statewide, another 150 soldiers and airmen will be mobilized to provide command and control and logistical support. Not a foam party: A brave news crew wades through sea foam blown onto Jeanette's Pier in Nags Head, N.C. as wind and rain from Hurricane Sandy move into the area Wrapped up: The sea foam blows across the walkway. The state is also expected to experience up to 12 inches of snow in some areas Facing the storm: Andy Becica, left, and Peter Wilson stand in rough surf along the Atlantic Ocean Monday morning in Cape May, New Jersey If forecasts hold, and especially if the storm surge coincides with high tide, the effects should be much more severe for the city said Klaus Jacob, a Columbia University researcher who has advised the city on coastal risks. While the storm may not be the worst-case scenario, Jacob said he expected the subway system, as well as underground electrical systems and neighborhoods in Lower Manhattan, to be at least partially flooded. Governor Cuomo said: 'The transportation system is the lifeblood of the New York City region, and suspending all service is not a step I take lightly. 'But keeping New Yorkers safe is the first priority, and the best way to do that is to make sure they are out of harm's way before gale-force winds can start wreaking havoc on trains and buses.' The service is expected to resume operations about 12 hours after the storm ends, officials said at the news conference - which would put services on track to resume for Tuesday afternoon. The Atlantic City Rail Line also suspended operations at 4pm Sunday due to the rapidly deteriorating weather conditions and the continued evacuation of Atlantic City. Closing in: A storm surge hits a small tree as winds from Hurricane Sandy reach Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut as the state declared a state of emergency Chaos: Waves crash over Winthrop Shore Drive in Massachusetts as Hurricane Sandy comes up the coast Monster: Waves crash over Eric Mongirdas as the storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy pummels the coastline in Milford, Connecticut The measures announced in New York City come as governors from North Carolina to Connecticut declared states of emergency ahead of Sandy's arrival As Hurricane Sandy trekked north from the Caribbean to meet two other powerful winter storms, experts said it didn't matter how strong the storm was when it hit land. 'This storm that is going to be impacting the mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast...is going to be destructive, historic, and unfortunately life threatening,' AccuWeather's Bernie Rayno said to ABC News. Insurers also prepared for the storm's arrival, activating claims teams, staging adjusters near the locations most likely to be affected and generally getting ready to pay for a potentially huge volume of losses. At high tide, it could bring a surge of seawater up to 11 feet above ground level to Long Island Sound and New York Harbor, forecasters said. Gusts: A woman tries to take cover from rain in Hoboken while Sandy approaches New Jersey with top sustained winds of 90mph 'Given the large wind field associated with Sandy, elevated water levels could span multiple tide cycles, resulting in repeated and extended periods of coastal and bayside flooding,' the forecasters said. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was criticised for not interrupting a vacation in Florida while a snowstorm pummeled the state in 2010, broke off campaigning for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in North Carolina on Friday to return home. 'I can be as cynical as anyone,' said Christie, who declared a state of emergency Saturday. 'But when the storm comes, if it's as bad as they're predicting, you're going to wish you weren't as cynical as you otherwise might have been.' 'Don't be stupid. Get out and go to higher, safer ground,' New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said on Sunday. 'Let's get to work on this. We know how to do this. We've been through this before.' Eighty-five-year-old former sailor Ray Leonard agreed. And he knows to heed warnings. STORM SURGE: HOW TO PREPARE FOR A NATURAL DISASTER New York City’s Office of Emergency Management offers advice for what to do in case disaster strikes:   Residents should construct an emergency supply kit, complete with a gallon of water per person per day for drinking, as well as non-perishable foods, first aid kids, and flashlights In case drinking water becomes polluted, iodine tablets are recommended, and supplies for personal hygiene such as toothbrush, tooth paste, soap, and any medications needed People should designate two meeting places – one near the home, and the other place in the neighborhood, like a library or place of worship It is also extremely helpful to keep a list of emergency contacts, both in the area, and out-of-town in case those in the city cannot be reached Those living around bodies of water have the greatest risk of flooding from Sandy’s storm surge and are now subject to mandatory evacuations ordered by Mayor Bloomberg. Those further inland have less of a danger   Leonard and two crewmates in his 32-foot sailboat, Satori, rode out 1991's infamous 'perfect storm,' made famous by the Sebastian Junger best-selling book of the same name, before being plucked from the Atlantic off Martha's Vineyard, Mass., by a Coast Guard helicopter. 'Don't be rash,' Leonard said Saturday from his home in Fort Myers, Fla. 'Because if this does hit, you're going to lose all those little things you've spent the last 20 years feeling good about.' Sandy killed at least 66 people as it made its way through the Caribbean islands, including 51 in Haiti, mostly from flash flooding and mudslides, according to authorities. The approaching storm forced a change of plans for both presidential candidates ahead of the November 6 election. Sandy weakened briefly to a tropical storm Saturday but was soon back up to Category 1 strength, packing 75 mph winds. It was about 260 miles (420 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and moving northeast at 13 mph as of 5am Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. PICKING UP PACE: FIVE REASONS WHY SANDY IS EXPECTED TO BE A SUPERSTORM 1. It is a Northbound Hurricane Hurricane Sandy is moving slowly toward the north-northeast but is expected to turn to the north and west later Sunday and Monday, forecasters say. At some point, it's expected to become what's known as an extratropical storm. Unlike a tropical system like a hurricane, which gets its power from warm ocean waters, extratropical systems are driven by temperature contrasts in the atmosphere. Although Sandy is currently a hurricane, it's important not to focus too much on its official category or its precise path (current models show it making landfall over New Jersey or Delaware sometime early Tuesday). It's a massive system that will affect a huge swath of the eastern U.S., regardless of exactly where it hits or its precise wind speed. For example, tropical storm-force winds can be felt more than 500 miles from the storm's center, according to the National Hurricane Center. It's already caused some minor flooding in North Carolina's Outer Banks and has prompted evacuations elsewhere. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has personnel and supplies spread as far west as the Ohio River Valley, said Craig Fugate, the agency's director. 2. Early Winter Storm Sandy is expected to merge with a wintry system from the west, at which point it will become the powerful superstorm that has forecasters and officials across the eastern U.S. Winds from that system will pull Sandy back toward the U.S. mainland. 3. Arctic Air from the North Frigid air coming south from Canada also is expected to collide with Sandy and the wintry storm from the west, creating a megastorm that is expected to park over the northeast for days. The brunt of the storm could hit areas farther inland. Officials are bracing for the worst: nearly a foot of rain, high winds and up to 2 feet of snow. 4. High Tides could Worsen Flooding Further complicating matters is the possibility for dangerous storm surges: A full moon means the tides will be higher than usual, which will make it easier for the storm's powerful winds to push water into low-lying areas. That, coupled with the threat of several inches of rain, has officials working to shore up flood defenses. Storm surge could reach anywhere from 2 to 11 feet along the northeastern coast, forecasters say. Inland river flooding also is a serious concern. 5. Combo of Snow, Wind Increase Risk for Widespread Power Outages Storms in recent years have left hundreds of thousands of people in the eastern U.S. without power, sometimes for days at a time. Utilities have been bringing in extra crews and lining up tree trimmers so they're prepared, and with good reason. The superstorm brings two possibilities for knocking out electricity. For one, hurricane-force winds of at 74 mph could send tree branches into power lines, or even topple entire trees and power poles. Those left standing could succumb to snow, which could weigh down still-leafy branches enough to also topple trees. Hurricane Sandy, which has already claimed over 50 lives in the Caribbean, has traveled north. It will soon bring heavy winds and floodwaters to the mid-Atlantic region, combining with other weather systems to possibly become what some are calling a historic "superstorm." Gathered here are images from Sandy's story so far, from the Caribbean to preparations along the East Coast of the United States. In the next hours, as Sandy makes landfall, I will continue to update this post with new images from the newswires and elsewhere. A truck drives through water pushed over a road by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New York, on October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years. (Reuters/Lucas Jackson) A truck drives through water pushed over a road by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New York, on October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years. (Reuters/Lucas Jackson) <div><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/TheAtlanticOnline/channel_international;src=infocus;type=in-focus;cat=disaster;title=hurricane-sandy-in-photos;pos=bigad;sz=991x875,991x635,970x250,728x90" title=""><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/TheAtlanticOnline/channel_international;src=infocus;type=in-focus;cat=disaster;title=hurricane-sandy-in-photos;pos=bigad;sz=991x875,991x635,970x250,728x90" alt="" /></a></div> 2 This nighttime satellite image of Hurricane Sandy was acquired by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite around 2:42 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on October 28, 2012. (Suomi NPP, NASA, NOAA) # 3 A driver maneuvers his car along a wet road as a wave crashes against the Malecon in Havana, Cuba, on October 25, 2012. Hurricane Sandy blasted across eastern Cuba on Thursday as a potent Category 2 storm and headed for the Bahamas. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) # 4 Heavy rains from Hurricane Sandy caused the Croix de Mission river to swell and threaten homes along its bank in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on October 25, 2012. (Reuters/Swoan Parker) # 5 Waves, brought by Hurricane Sandy, crash on a house in the Caribbean Terrace neighborhood in eastern Kingston, Jamaica, on October 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Collin Reid) # 6 Haitian men walk cross a bridge over rushing flood waters caused by Hurricane Sandy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on October 25, 2012. (Thony Belizaire/AFP/Getty Images) # 7 People walk on a street littered with debris after Hurricane Sandy hit Santiago de Cuba, on October 26, 2012. The Cuban government said on Thursday night that 11 people died when the storm barreled across the island, most killed by falling trees or in building collapses in Santiago de Cuba province and neighboring Guantanamo province. (Reuters/Desmond Boylan) # 8 A man salvages bricks from rubble on a street after hurricane Sandy in Santiago de Cuba, on October 27, 2012. (Reuters/Desmond Boylan) # 9 A surfer walks into the heavy surf caused by approaching hurricane Sandy in Cape May, New Jersey, on October 28, 2012. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) # 10 Protective berms line Compo Beach, as the first signs of Hurricane Sandy approach on October 28, 2012, in Westport, Connecticut. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) # 11 A man walks past boarded up structures on the boardwalk ahead of Hurricane Sandy in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on October 28, 2012. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) # 12 During preparations for Hurricane Sandy, a woman and child walk through an emptied aisle in a Wal-Mart store in Riverhead, New York, on October 28, 2012. (Reuters/Lucas Jackson) # 13 A woman photographs waves from the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean City, Maryland, on October 28, 2012. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque) # 14 In New York City, a lone pedestrian walks through an empty Times Square, early on October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy continued on its path Monday, forcing the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo) # 15 New York City police officers speak to a man as they go door to door in a housing project to take note of which residents are ignoring the mandatory evacuation order as Hurricane Sandy approaches in the Rockaway Beach neighborhood of Queens, on October 28, 2012. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images) # 16 Grand Central Terminal, closed early on October 28, 2012, after the last trains had departed in advance of Hurricane Sandy. (MTA New York City Transit/Aaron Donovan) # 17 New York's empty Hugh L. Cary Tunnel (formerly the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel), which will be closed at 2 p.m. on October 29, 2012. (MTA New York City Transit/Leonard Wiggins) # 18 The New York City Subway system suspended service at 7 p.m. on October 28, 2012, in advance of Hurricane Sandy. This photo shows an empty section of Times Square, normally the busiest station in the system. (MTA New York City/Aaron Donovan) # 19 A man runs for the last train to leave New York's Grand Central Terminal on October 28, 2012. (MTA New York City/Aaron Donovan) # 20 Crews set up a dam to keep water out of the Westside Yard of the Long Island Railroad. (MTA New York City) # 21 Much of Manhattan was free of traffic as Hurricane Sandy began to affect New York City, on October 29, 2012. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) # 22 The empty floor of the New York Stock Exchange, on October 29, 2012. All major U.S. stock and options exchanges were closed Monday with Hurricane Sandy nearing landfall on the East Coast. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) # 23 Bill Ryan, of Inwood, New York, comforts his cat Amy before leaving her at a pet shelter at Mitchell Park's Field House, run by the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management and Pet Safe Coalition in Uniondale, New York, on October, 28, 2012. Pet owners could leave their pets at the shelter and afterwards seek shelter for themselves. before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek) # 24 Rough Atlantic surf breaks over the dunes of Cape May, New Jersey, as high tide and Hurricane Sandy begin to arrive, on October 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Mel Evans) # 25 A news crew wades through sea foam blown onto Jeanette's Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina, on October 28, 2012 as wind and rain from Hurricane Sandy moved into the area. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) # 26 Waters from Hurricane Sandy start to flood Beach Avenue in Cape May, New Jersey, on October 29, 2012. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) # 27 An abandoned home, inundated with water at Shinnecock Bay in Southampton, New York, on October 29, 2012. (Reuters/Lucas Jackson) # 28 Norfolk resident Jack Devnew looks at the water covering a dock as he checks on his boat at a marina near downtown Norfolk, Virginia, on October 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) # 29 The U.S. Capitol and Pennsylvania Avenue, on Monday morning, October 29, 2012, as heavy rain from Hurricane Sandy arrives in Washington. Sandy strengthened before dawn and is on a predicted path toward Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York -- putting it on a collision course with two other weather systems that would create a superstorm. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) # 30 Hurricane Sandy, pictured at (10:40 a.m. Eastern) on October 29, 2012 by NASA's GOES satellite, churns off the east coast in the Atlantic Ocean. (NASA via Getty Images) # 31 A sailboat smashes on the rocks after breaking free from its mooring on City Island, on October 29, 2012 in New York. (Don Emert/AFP/Getty Images) # 32 Ocean waves kick up near homes along Peggoty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts, on October 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) # 33 High tide begins to flood a street on the shoreline area of Milford, Connecticut as Hurricane Sandy approaches on October 29, 2012. (Reuters/Michelle McLoughlin) # 34 The Hudson River swells and rises over its banks flooding the Lackawanna train station in Hoboken, New Jersey, on October 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes) # 35 People pose outside the sandbagged entrance of the closed Apple Store on Fifth Avenue as Hurricane Sandy moves closer to the area on October 29, 2012 in New York City. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images) # 36 U.S. Route 30, the White Horse Pike, one of three major approaches to Atlantic City, New Jersey, covered with water from Absecon Bay in this view looking west, during the approach of Hurricane Sandy, on October 29, 2012. (Reuters/Tom Mihalek) # 37 People walk on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, on October 29, 2012. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images) # 38 Members of the Freeport Fire Department respond to a house fire down a flooded street in Freeport, New York, on October 29, 2012. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton) # 39 Waters flood Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright, New Jersey, on October 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) # 40 Waves crash over Winthrop Shore Drive as Hurricane Sandy comes up the coast on October 29, 2012 in Winthrop, Massachusetts. (Darren McCollester/Getty Images) # 41 Manhattan, shot from Hoboken Pier walkway around 12:30pm on October 29, 2012. (© Joe Smolenski) # 42 Hurricane Sandy causes street flooding as it comes ashore in Dewey Beach, Delaware, on October 29, 2012. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst) # 43 Part of a crane boom is seen hanging off a building under construction on West 57th Street above Manhattan, on October 29, 2012. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images) # 44 A historic ferry boat named the Binghamton, swamped by the waves on the Hudson River in Edgewater, New Jersey, on October 29, 2012 as Hurricane Sandy lashed the East Coast. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) # 45 This handout photo taken in the morning before the cemetery was closed for the day and provided by the U.S. Army, shows Spc. Brett Hyde, Tomb Sentinel, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), keeping guard over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as Hurricane Sandy approaches, at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, on October 29, 2012. Just like the Sentinel's Creed says "Through the years of diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements, I will walk my tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability." (AP Photo/U.S. Army, Sgt. Jose A. Torres, Jr.)