The United States of America has been hit by one of the
biggest storms to ever descend on the country,Superstorm Sandy, with
major disasters recorded in the cities of New York and Long Island. The
storm which hit the mainland at 6.30pm local time yesterday has left a
major parts of the cities under water. Millions of people on the East Coast are
said to be facing fallen trees and widespread power outages caused by the giant
storm, which swamped New York City’s subway system and submerged streets in
Manhattan’s financial district.
At least 17 people have been killed in seven states
and power has been cut in more than 7.4 million homes and businesses from
the Carolinas to Ohio. 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.
Daily Mail reports that 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.
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.
In Gotham, an unprecedented 13-foot surge of seawater – 3
feet above the previous record – has gushed into the city, inundating tunnels,
subway stations and the electrical system that powers Wall Street, and sent
hospital patients and tourists scrambling for safety.
The storm has resulted in the cancellation of around 12,500
flights, and the number is expected to grow. Also today, stock trading will be
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.
The storm has also halted the presidential campaign and
President Barack 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.
Our hearts go out to the citizens and residents of the
Unites States at this difficult time and we pray that the souls of the departed
shall rest in peace.
Pictures of flooding and damages caused by the storm
Are you in the U.S at this time? Do you have any experiences
you would like to share?
Photo Credit: Daily
Mail UK
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