Superstorm Sandy left destruction: U.S. death toll rises to 48, total 118

NEW YORK (Wed, Oct 31) – Reported by madn3wz

 

Superstorm Sandy left destruction: U.S. death toll rises to 48, total 118

 

The despair of Superstorm Sandy’s destruction raised Tuesday as millions along the U.S. East Coast were deprived of power or mass transit, and enormous strips of New York City remained weirdly discreet. The U.S. death toll climbed to at least 48, many of the victims killed by falling trees, while the rescue operation is on.

New York was among the worst affected in terms of death toll and financial loss, with its financial heart closed for a second day consecutively.   Sandy killed 18 people only in New York City, while three were reported dead in New Jersey, three in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, two in Connecticut, two in Virginia, one in West Virginia. It also killed 69 people in the Caribbean before making its way up the Eastern Seaboard.  At least one death in Canada was attributed to the storm taking the total death toll to 118.

Superstorm Sandy, also dubbed as Frankenstrom, caused the worst damage in the 108-year history of the New York’s subway system, and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it could be four or five days before the biggest U.S. transit system would be operative again. It also left at least 8.2 million people without power and an undetermined number evacuated from their homes, especially from low-lying areas.

Airlines cancelled more than 18,000 flights worldwide. New York City’s three major airports remained closed, however, authorities announced that John F Kennedy International Airport in New York and Newark International Airport in New Jersey will reopen at 7 am Wednesday with limited service. However, New York's LaGuardia Airport will remain closed. 

Rick Knabb, the Director at National Hurricane Center, said in a midday conference call with reporters that Sandy's sway along the U.S. East Coast had diminished, but flooding of 2-4 feet was likely in some areas at high tide and wind speeds were "fairly strong" as far west as Lake Michigan.

 

Knabb said further power disruption could occur Tuesday and "it will take well into [Wednesday] for all of the weather to clear out of the United States."

 

He said river flooding will be a risk over a large area, particularly in the New Jersey-New York area, because "there is still a lot more rain that could fall."