Superstorm Sandy reaches US East Coast

Russia Today
October 30, 2012

A view of the corner of 34th Street and 1st Street in Manhattan during rains from Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012 in New York City. (AFP Photo / Michael Heiman)

The center of superstorm Sandy has reached the US state of New Jersey. The hurricane, which was downgraded to the “post-tropical” storm, has already left over 2 million along the East Coast without power.

­The storm, packing torrential rains and wind, made landfall along the New Jersey coast near Atlantic City, the National Hurricane Center says.

Earlier, the NHC said the category 1 Hurricane Sandy had lost tropical characteristics, becoming a “post-tropical cyclone” with maximum sustained winds near 85 mph and gusts reaching 115 mph.

The storm has heavily affected many parts of New York City, with power outages and several feet of water hitting large areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

The Statue of Liberty’s torch has gone out, apparently due to extreme weather conditions.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned that conditions are expected to worsen, urging New Yorkers to stay inside. “Conditions outside are dangerous, and they are only going to get worse in the hours ahead,” he told a press conference.

At least one man has been killed after a tree fell on his house in the Queens section of New York City.

New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that subway and bus networks are suspended and will remain closed for an unknown period of time. “Service will be restored only when it is safe to do so, and after careful inspections of all equipment, tracks and other sub-systems and bus routes. Even with minimal damage this is expected to be a lengthy process,” the MTA said in a statement.

MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota told WABC Television that subway service could be crippled for “at least a week.”

Meanwhile, social networks users on Manhattan’s Lower East Side have reported a “huge explosion” that preceded the neighborhood’s power going out. Lower Manhattan now appears to be without electricity across the board.

14th Street transformer explodes(Image from instagram user @georgeweld)

Power has gone out in much of Lower Manhattan. (Image from twitter user@alananewhouse)

The remains of scaffolding from above a Starbucks lies on the ground in lower Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy begins to affect the area on October 29, 2012 in New York City. (AFP Photo / Spencer Platt)

A police car looks out over Manhattan from near the Brooklyn Bridge as Hurricane Sandy begins to affect the area on October 29, 2012 in the in Brooklyn of New York City. (AFP Photo / Spencer Platt)

Ocean Avenue is flooded caused by Hurricane Sandy, on October 29, 2012 in Cape May, The New Jersey. (AFP Photo / Mark Wilson)

[hat tip: LittleSisMedia]