Super Storm Sandy: Mass evacuation ordered, subway and schools closures in New York City

NEW YORK (Sun, Oct 28) – Reported by madn3wz

 

Super Storm Sandy: Mass evacuation ordered, subway and schools closures in New York City

 

 

The ‘Frankenstorm’ Sandy is set to be unmatched in size once it hits the U.S. mainland Monday night. According to government forecasters on Sunday; the projected surge of Hurricane Sandy is a “worst case scenario” with shocking waves and tides forecasted for the thickly populated New York City metro area.

 

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered the evacuation of 375,000 people threatened by Hurricane Sandy in low-lying areas, like Manhattan and the Rockaways, towards the 72 evacuation centers which had been set up around the city in schools and community centers.

 

"This is a serious and dangerous storm," Bloomberg told a news conference on Sunday as he ordered the mandatory evacuation ahead of the storm, which is expected to start hitting on Monday.

 

Forecasters said Sandy is set to morph into "super storm," as the tropical storm merges with a winter storm and a cold front, intimidating up to 12 inches of rainfall in some areas and heavy snow inland.

 

"We're looking at impact of greater than 50 to 60 million people," says Louis Uccellini, head of environmental prediction for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 

"The time for preparing and talking is about over," Federal Emergency Management administrator Craig Fugate warned as a monster Hurricane Sandy headed up the Atlantic Coast on a collision course with two other weather systems. "People need to be acting now."

 

The massive storm also threatens to bring a near halt to air travel for two days in a key region for both domestic and international flights. Subway, bus and train services will also be suspended from 7pm local time and hundreds of flights into the city's airports have been rerouted or cancelled.

 

New York's public transport system is America's largest. The subway alone has more than five million passengers in every single day.

 

The New York Stock Exchange will close its trading floor on Monday, but trading will continue electronically.

 

Furthermore, all of the city's public schools have been closed that will affect 1.1 million school going kids in New York City.

 

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hurricane sandy, Sandy, Frankenstorm, Michael Bloomberg, U.S. East Coast, super storm, Sandy Super Storm, tropical cyclone, hurricane