Superstorm Sandy: Five people dead, NYC without power

New York, Oct 29: USA is under the grip of a major natural calamity. According to television reports, at least five people were confirmed dead as superstorm Sandy hit the New York State on Monday, Oct 29. The information has been shared by the governor's spokesperson. Over 60 million people have been affected by the storm.

There were reports of fires caused by downed wires as superstorm Sandy hit the state, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

CNN reported that most of New York City is now without power and 6,800 flights have been cancelled as superstorm Sandy hit the city. Reports also said that there was 3 feet water inside the Wall Street, but the reports were refuted later. Over 6,000 National Guard troops have been deployed.

Much of New York was plunged into darkness on Monday by a superstorm that overflowed the city's historic waterfront, flooded the financial district and subway tunnels and cut power to nearly a million people, said TV reports.

US Presidential campaign has come to a standstill due to superstorm Sandy. Sandy, one of the biggest storms ever to hit the United States, has led to forceful evacuations, shutting down transportation and interrupting the presidential campaign.

The National Hurricane Center said Sandy came ashore as a "post-tropical cyclone," meaning it still packed hurricane-force winds but lost the characteristics of a tropical storm. It had sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (129 kph), well above the threshold for hurricane intensity. Sandy previously had been characterised as a hurricane, said various media reports.

The storm's target area includes big population centers such as New York City, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia. President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney cancelled their campaign appearances at the very height of the race, with just over a week to go before Election Day. The president pledged the government's help and made a direct plea from the White House to those in the storm's path, said an Associated Press report.

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