BREAKING NEWS: Superstorm Sandy finally makes landfall as deadly front slams into East Coast with millions fearing the worst

Deadly storm strengthens to nearly 1,000 miles wide with winds of 100mph reported on RFK bridge, Manhattan



30-year-old man dies after being hit by a falling tree in Queens, New York, as hurricane strikes

Two people killed in New Jersey, according to Local Emergency Management Office



Large parts of Manhattan fall into darkness as power supplies fail



500 rescued in Atlantic City, New Jersey as storm batters Cape May



New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said: 'The most severe part of the storm in now beginning'



Subway remains closed on Monday - the second time in history

New York Stock Exchange closes trading floor on Monday and Tuesday

Broadway shows cancelled on Monday night



Storm damage expected to cause damage costing $20billion to the economy and in losses




Hurricane Sandy slammed into the East Coast around 6.30pm EST last night as millions of Americans are warned it was still unsafe as the rain eases.

Three people were killed by falling trees as the storm lashed towns and cities. A 30-year-old man died after being hit by a tree in Queens, New York, and two more people were killed when a tree landed on their car.



New York Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed that cars were floating down flood-hit streets in Lower Manhattan.

Mr Cuomo said that the 911 system was being inundated with 10,000 calls every half an hour.

He said: 'Please do not call 911 unless it's a life-threatening emergency.'



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Howling: Conditions in New Jersey deteriorate as the superstorm makes landfall, causing widespread destruction

Slammed: People take shelter on the flooded pier as the effects of Hurricane Sandy are felt in Rockaway Beach, New York Emergency: Braving horrendous conditions, a worker uses a chainsaw to cut up a felled tree that knocked over a street light in York City, Pennsylvania, as Superstorm Sandy continues on its path Ground Zero: The construction site at Ground Zero is inundated by flood waters in Lower Manhattan Power out: Lower Manhattan goes dark as Hurricane Sandy sweeps across America's East Coast, causing untold damage and putting lives at risk Submerged: Cars disappear from view as water rises in New York's flood-hit financial district, which lay in Hurricane Sandy's path

Submerged: Water from Manhattan's East River floods East 20th Street during Hurricane Sandy Dangerous: A woman wades through the water in New York as cars become submerged in the floods Floods: Vehicles are submerged during a storm surge near the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in New York Dramatic: A CCTV monitor shows floodwater rushing into the subway system in New York as Hurricane Sandy causes widespread devastation Waves in the city: Streets are flooded under the Manhattan Bridge in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn, New York Waterproofs: Wearing wellington boots and a hooded jacket, a resident navigates the flooded streets of the Dumbo neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York

Sandy had laid waste to large parts of the coast throughout the day, leaving more than two million without power in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia while whole cities have been flooded and billions of dollars of damage expected.

But as darkness fell, Sandy was about to make landfall at Cape May, New Jersey. Winds rose up to 90mph with fresh warnings that the 'most severe part of the storm is now beginning'. Storm surges of more than 12ft have already been recorded in Long Island, with waters rising quickly in Lower Manhattan as high tide approaches. Howling winds of 100mph have been reported on the RFK Bridge in upper Manhattan as gales were expected to last for hours. RELATED ARTICLES Previous

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Consolidated Edison spokesman Chris Olert said on Monday evening that the power was out for most of Manhattan south of 26th Street.

On the east side, the power outage extended from 29th Street south. There were some scattered areas that still had electricity.

Olert said the damage stemmed from flooding and the probable loss of a transmission feeder.

The power outage was separate from a planned power cut that Con Ed did in certain lower Manhattan neighborhoods to protect underwater systems from flood damage. Olert said there were 250,000 customers without power in Manhattan. A customer represents a single meter, so the number of people actually affected is likely higher.

The company shut off power in 200,000 homes in the area in last year's Hurricane Irene - but this year's storm packs a much fiercer punch. Atlantic City officials were trying to rescue around 500 people trapped in their homes during the direct hit. Most of the city's 40,000 residents had evacuated as directed.

Concern: Governor Andrew Cuomo (centre) inspects a deluge of water flooding the Battery Tunnel in Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy approaches New York Crash: A fallen tree with its roots ripped from the road and a power line lie over homes on Harvard Street in Garden City, New York Here it comes! Hurricane Sandy barrels into Cape May, New Jersey today Ferocious: The storm kicks off in Southampton, New York today as the brutal weather conditions bear down on the East Coast Saved: An elderly man is rescued by volunteer firemen in West Atlantic City, New Jersey, as the hurricane causes colossal damage to East Coast towns and cities All along the waterfront: A police car patrols the waterfront in Brooklyn, New York this evening as Sandy batters the Big Apple Here it comes: The waves rise in Edgewater, New Jersey as Hurricane Sandy lashes the East Coast

Landfall: Ocean waves kick up near homes along Peggoty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts

Making waves: Heavy surf crashes over a seawall during the early stages of Hurricane Sandy in Kennebunk, Maine Threatening: Rising water from the Hudson River overtakes a bank drive-through in Edgewater, New Jersey

Vicious: Waves crash against a previously damaged pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey before landfall of Hurricane Sandy before flooding communities

Wide open: A row of houses stands in floodwaters at Grassy Sound in North Wildwood, New Jersey as Hurricane Sandy pounds the East Coast Taken off: A trampoline becomes caught in the power lines on Norman Drive in Long Island as Hurricane Sandy gathers speed Beached: A boat washes ashore on Carson Beach as wind and waves from Hurricane Sandy hit the north-east coast of the US Wintry scene: A student walks across the lawn at Davis & Elkins College as Hurricane Sandy brings heavy snow to Elkins, West Virginia

Deadly: A comparison of Hurricane Irene in 2011 (top) and Hurricane Sandy (bottom) shows the much stronger this year's storm threatens to be The storm strengthened overnight to nearly 1,000 miles wide with winds in excess of 90 miles per hour as it accelerated north at a speed of 28mph. Its pressure has also dropped to record lows, which meant the storm was strengthening further. The worst of the Category 1 hurricane is expected to bring a 'life-threatening' surge of seawater up to 11 feet high, coastal hurricane winds and a barrage of heavy snow in the Appalachian Mountains. Already the hurricane is showing its breathtaking power as hundreds of thousands of residents scrambled to higher ground, public transport systems shut down, thousands of homes were without power and thousands of flights across the country were cancelled. The Hudson River which connects New Jersey and Manhattan's west side has breached - already inflicting more damage than Hurricane Irene last year.

The last hurricane in which waters significantly breached the city's riverbanks and caused wide-spread flooding was in September 1821. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told a press conference at 5.30pm (EST) that the hurricane had doubled its speed, meaning it should make landfall several hours ahead of schedule at around 7pm. Governor Christie described this as 'good news' as it was several hours before high tide along the New Jersey coastline. CBS reported that wind gusts of 38 mph have been felt in New York City, while winds of 41 mph have rattled Boston.

Across Norfolk, Virginia, residents were knee-deep in floodwaters as they travelled to work or scrambled to stock up on last-minute groceries. In the southeast of the state, tides are expected to run between five and eight feet above normal. Floodwaters were also seeping into New York, with homes in Gilgo, Long Island becoming quickly submerged. In Boone, North Carolina, snow began falling at 8am; the Appalachian mountain town is expected to suffer a miserable few days with snow, rain and temperatures struggling to get out of the 30s. Up to eight inches of snow is expected but, in places of higher elevation, there may be as many as 12, while in West Virginia, 2 to 3 feet of snow could fall.

In Oak Orchard, Delaware, rescue efforts by the National Guard and local authorities were already underway for residents who had failed to heed the mandatory evacuation issued over the weekend. Flooding: A truck drives through water pushed over a road by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New York on Monday as the storm gathers speed Rising: Pieces of the boardwalk float in sections through the flooded streets of Atlantic City - which is expected to get the brunt of the storm tonight In Ocean City, New Jersey, residents snapped photos of the extreme flooding, as officials added: 'The ocean has met the bay. We have never seen anything like this.' Off the coast of North Carolina, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued 14 of the 16 crew members who abandoned the replica ship HMS Bounty, using helicopters to lift them from life rafts. The Coast Guard continued to search for the two missing crew members about 160 miles from the storm. The hurricane could cause a total of $20 billion in economic damage and losses to homes, travellers and retailers forced to close stores. Insured losses may reach $5 billion to $10 billion, or about half of the total, according to an estimate today by risk model provider Eqecat Inc., Bloomberg reported.

Sandy has already killed at least 66 people - including 51 in Haiti - in the Caribbean before pounding U.S. coastal areas with rain. Nine U.S. states have now declared states of emergency, with Connecticut most recently joining other eastern states and announcing it would shut down all highways at 1pm. The National Guard is poised to swoop into states to help.

Caution: Obama warned the public to remain alert during a press conference in the White House On its way: Hurricane Sandy is pictured churning off the east coast on Monday morning. The monster storm is expected to hit New Jersey Monday night State of emergency: New Yorkers in Red Zone A face the highest risk of flooding from storm surges and Mayor Bloomberg ordered their mandatory evacuation Destruction: Long Island Power Authority personnel view a fallen tree limb suspended on a power line that fell as a result of the powerful winds Wash out: Debris from a sea wall and a damaged pier litters a parking lot at Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina after Sandy's wind passed through Felled: A broken tree is seen during winds as the Path Station starts to get flooded in Hoboken, New Jersey Flooded: People walk down a submerged street in Atlantic City, where the storm will hit land later on Monday In deep: A photo uploaded to Twitter shows the catastrophic storm surge underway near Ocean City, New Jersey On approach: A pedestrian crosses a vacant Market street with winds and rain from the hurricane in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania HURRICANE SANDY BY NUMBERS

50million People in Sandy's path 66 Deaths already caused by Sandy across the Caribbean

90 Miles per hour of wind gusts forecasted 1,000 Miles wide that storm will reach as it barrels north on land 9 States where state of emergency has been declared 765,000 People already without power 375,000 New Yorkers ordered to evacuate low lying areas of the city 36 Hours Hurricane Sandy could batter the New York City - compared to 12 from Irene last year 27 Years since the New York Stock Exchange closed for a day due to weather

11 Feet of storm surges expected 12 Inches of snow expected in some parts of North Carolina

President Obama warned the nation to brace itself as the hurricane churns north, with 50 million people in its path. ' This is going to be a big storm,' he said in a press conference at the White House on Monday afternoon. 'It's going to be a difficult storm... We are certain this is going to be a slow-moving process through a wide swathe of the country and millions of people will be affected. 'Please listen to what your state and local officials are saying. Do not delay, do not pause, do not question. For folks who are not following instructions, you are putting first responders at danger.' He added: 'The good news is we will clean up and we will get through this.'

Forecasters said Sandy, dubbed 'Frankenstorm', could surge to a 'super storm' as it joins an Arctic jet stream, sparking flash floods and snow storms - and making it unlike anything seen over the eastern United States in decades.

According to CBS News hurricane consultant David Bernard, the pressure is dropping, which means the storm is strengthening. Its pressure is 943 millibars, setting a new lowest pressure north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and beating the previous low set in 1938.

'The last time we saw anything like this was never,' Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said on Sunday. 'I don't know how to say it any clearer than that it is the largest threat to human life our state has experienced in anyone's lifetime.' New Jersey Governor Chris Christie added: 'Don't be stupid. Get out!' New York and other cities and towns have closed their transit systems and ordered mass evacuations from low-lying areas ahead of the storm surge. Airlines canceled flights, bridges and tunnels closed, and national passenger rail operator Amtrak suspended nearly all service on the East Coast. Classes were cancelled on Monday for more than two million public school students in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore, while universities and government offices in states including Washington and New Jersey were shut down. Concerned residents in the hurricane's path swarmed grocery stores, searching for generators, flashlights, batteries and food in anticipation of power outages. Nearly 284,000 residential properties valued at $88 billion are at risk for damage, risk analysts at CoreLogic said. The National Hurricane Center warned that residents in higher floors will be at a greater risk than those nearer ground level when howling winds rattle through. The skies above New York begin to blacken as the first signs of the approaching megastorm form Raging waters: The New York City skyline and Hudson River are seen from Hoboken, New Jersey as Hurricane Sandy approaches Breaking through: As Hurricane Sandy barreled towards New York on Monday, the Hudson River breached, forcing water into Manhattan walkways and parks

Fears: Strong winds snapped a crane at the top of a tower in Manhattan, as tweeted by Piers Morgan, left. In Delaware County, Pennsylvania, a tree smashed into a home on Monday morning causing significant damage and destroying the neighbour's deck. A child was also taken to the hospital

Close up: The crane hangs precariously from the side of 157 W. 57th Street after wind has damaged it before the expected landfall Surveying the storm: Jack Devnew looks at the water covering a dock as he checks on his boat at a marina near downtown Norfolk, Virginia All U.S. stock markets will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, the operator of the New York Stock Exchange said, reversing an earlier plan that would have kept electronic trading going on.

Sandy forced President Obama and Mitt Romney to cancel some campaign stops and fuelled concern it could disrupt early voting - encouraged by the candidates this year more than ever - before the November 6 election.

The United Nations, Broadway theaters, New Jersey casinos, schools up and down the Eastern Seaboard, and myriad corporate events were also being shut down on Monday. Residents along the New Jersey coast were warned they may not survive Hurricane Sandy if they do not evacuate low-lying areas. The National Weather Service issued the stark warning last night as the massive weather front surged closer to the East Coast. A statement read: 'If you are reluctant [to evacuate], think about your loved ones...think about the rescue/recovery teams who will rescue you if you are injured or recover your remains if you do not survive.' Running for cover: A family braces against ocean spray as waves crash against a seawall in Scituate, Massachusetts on Monday Soaked: Homes in Ocean City in New Jersey are already submerged - hours ahead of the storm's expected arrival Damage: Water pushed in by Hurricane Sandy surrounds a house in Southampton, New York Rocky: Sailboats rock in choppy water at a dock along the Hudson River near Manhattan during the storm Desperate: Two boys run to dodge high winds and waves from the effects of Hurricane Sandy in Marshfield, Massachusetts Havoc: A car crushed by a fallen tree sits along Montauk Highway as Hurricane Sandy approaches in Bay Shore, New York Under a cloud: After canceling his appearance at a campaign rally in Orlando, Florida, President Obama walks to the White House in the rain GOVT PLEA: AVOID CALLING ON CELL PHONES AND TEXT INSTEAD

As Hurricane Sandy nears the East Coast, the Federal Emergency Management Agency took to Twitter to advise followers on how to use their cell phones in the storm. 'Phone lines may be congested during/after Sandy. Let loved ones know you're OK by sending a text or updating your social networks,' it wrote. Voice calls use more bandwidth than text messages. By staying off the phone, it will reduce the unavoidable havoc to mobile carriers. About 50 million people from the Mid-Atlantic to Canada are in the path of the 1,000-mile-wide monster, which is expected to topple trees, damage buildings, cause power outages and trigger heavy flooding. Many workers planned to stay home on Monday, while thousands of flights into and out of the U.S. northeast were grounded on as airports closed, stranding passengers from Hong Kong to Europe. The massive storm threatens to bring a near halt to air travel for at least two days in a key region for both domestic and international flights. More than 11,500 flights have been cancelled so far - already leaving a backlog of tens of thousands. The storm is also expected to inflict power outages along the east coast, with officials already expressing fears that homes and businesses could be without power for days. 'We could be talking about weeks,' Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy warned. Officials told residents to head for higher ground as evacuations were ordered on the East Coast including a mandatory one for New York City which saw Mayor Bloomberg advise 375,000 people to leave low-lying areas. Extremes: Snow covers Mountain Lake Road at an elevation of 4000 feet in Giles County, Virginia. About three inches of snow was measured in a snow gauge at a nearby hotel, the first snow fall of the year thanks to Sandy Violent: Waves from Hurricane Sandy crash onto the damaged Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina as Sandy churns up the East Coast Treacherous: After checking to make sure his boat line is secure, Bob Casseday crosses the flooded street just over the bridge along Savannah Road in Lewes, Delaware on Monday The New York subway closed at 7pm on Sunday for only the second time in history, meaning that almost 12million people will be prevented from taking their usual route to work.

The MTA said the duration of the service suspension is 'unknown' and that 'service will be restored only when it is safe to do so, after careful inspections of all equipment and tracks.' RELATED ARTICLES Previous

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Ominous: A man watches the ferocious waves on Sunday in Berlin, Maryland

NEW YORK'S WORST STORMS

1821 Hurricane Without modern technology, the hurricane on September, 1821 caught New Yorkers off guard when, in one hour, the tide rose 13 feet. The East River and Hudson River breached, with their waters meeting across Lower Manhattan. The area was not largely populated then, so there were few deaths

1893 Hurricane A Category 1 hurricane completely destroyed Hog Island, a resort island in southern Queens 1938 Hurricane Nearly 200 people were killed when the Category 3 hurricane swept over Long Island and into New England. It caused millions of dollars of damages in NYC, where it killed 10 people and destroyed hundreds of trees in Central Park 1954, Carol The hurricane, which had sustained winds of more than 100mph , hit eastern Long Island and caused major flooding throughout New York City 1955, Connie and Diane Rain from the two hurricanes caused flooding across the city. There were more than 200 deaths in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey 1960, Donna The hurricane created an 11-foot storm tide in the New York Harbor, inflicting extensive pier damage 1972, Agnes The tropical storm flooded areas from North Caroline to New York and caused 122 deaths and more than $6 billion in damage 1985, Gloria Serious damage was inflicted on Long Island 1996, Bertha The tropical storm washed out the city in July 1966 1999, Floyd The tropical storm hit New Jersey and New York with 60mph winds and dropped up to 15 inches of rain. Flash flooding forced residents from their homes 2011, Irene The hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm just before hitting the city, which had issued mandatory evacuation orders for those living along the coast. Up to 7 inches of rain fell as winds reached 65 mph. It inflicted an estimated $100 million in damages New York City and Nassau County Offices of Emergency Management A blizzard led to a late start and an early close on January 8, 1996. The NYSE shut down on March 27, 1985 for Hurricane Gloria. Since the Great Depression, the longest suspension in trading at the NYSE occurred after 9/11 when the exchange closed for four days. The sheer size of the storm meant its effects would be felt from the mid-Atlantic states to New England. Officials issued warnings meant to reduce the risk of mass casualties as the National Guard was deployed to New York City. All along the U.S. coast worried residents packed into stores, buying generators, candles, food and other supplies in anticipation of power outages. 'They're freaking out,' said Joe Dautel, a clerk at a hardware store in Glenside, Pennsylvania. 'I'm selling people four, five, six packs of batteries - when I had them.' Mark Palazzolo, who has boarded up his bait-and-tackle shop in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J with the same wood he used in past storms, crossing out the names of Hurricanes Isaac and Irene, said: ' I think this one's going to do us in. ' I got a call from a friend of mine from Florida last night who said, "Mark, get out! If it's not the storm, it'll be the aftermath. People are going to be fighting in the streets over gasoline and food."' Obama met with federal emergency officials for an update on the Category 1 storm's path and the danger it poses to the Mid-Atlantic and New England. 'My main message to everybody involved is that we have to take this seriously,' said Obama. He urged people to 'listen to your local officials.' The President said emergency officials were confident that staging for the storm was in place. Obama traveled the nearly three miles from the White House to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's headquarters in his motorcade. As part of the briefing, the president also met with FEMA workers and thanked them. 'My message to the governors as well as to the mayors is anything they need, we will be there, and we will cut through red tape.

'We are not going to get bogged down with a lot of rules,' he said. 'We want to make sure we are anticipating and leaning forward into making sure that we have the best possible response to what is going to be a big and messy system.' The storm surge could be higher than the Manhattan flood walls and pour into subway tunnels. Mayor Bloomberg said he ordered an evacuation of the low-lying areas along the edges of the city including parts of lower Manhattan, sections of Brooklyn and Staten Island, and the Rockaways in Queens. He said 72 evacuation centres had been created around the city and he also ordered the closure of schools.

Mayor Bloomberg said: 'If you don’t evacuate, you are not only endangering your life, you are also endangering the lives of the first responders who are going in to rescue you,' he said at a news conference Sunday. 'This is a serious and dangerous storm.' He added that those who didn’t leave wouldn’t be arrested. New York City police officers went door-to-door this evening to take down the names of those who had decided not to leave.

To help direct any response to the damage caused by Sandy, Governor Andrew Cuomo has directed the New York Army and Air National Guard to mobilize in response to Hurricane Sandy.

Cuomo said the Guard will deploy up to 1,175 troops starting on Sunday. They'll help local authorities respond to storm damage in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and the Southern Tier.

On Sunday, 200 New York Army National Guard soldiers were deployed to New York City. By 6pm Monday, Cuomo said 250 soldiers and 150 airmen would be in place on Long Island.

Another 200 soldiers will go on duty Monday at armories in Binghamton, Walton, and Horseheads in the Southern Tier. Statewide, another 150 soldiers and airmen will be mobilized to provide command and control and logistical support. Not a foam party: A brave news crew wades through sea foam blown onto Jeanette's Pier in Nags Head, N.C. as wind and rain from Hurricane Sandy move into the area Wrapped up: The sea foam blows across the walkway. The state is also expected to experience up to 12 inches of snow in some areas Facing the storm: Andy Becica, left, and Peter Wilson stand in rough surf along the Atlantic Ocean Monday morning in Cape May, New Jersey If forecasts hold, and especially if the storm surge coincides with high tide, the effects should be much more severe for the city said Klaus Jacob , a Columbia University researcher who has advised the city on coastal risks .

While the storm may not be the worst-case scenario, Jacob said he expected the subway system, as well as underground electrical systems and neighborhoods in Lower Manhattan, to be at least partially flooded.

Governor Cuomo said: 'The transportation system is the lifeblood of the New York City region, and suspending all service is not a step I take lightly. 'But keeping New Yorkers safe is the first priority, and the best way to do that is to make sure they are out of harm's way before gale-force winds can start wreaking havoc on trains and buses.' The service is expected to resume operations about 12 hours after the storm ends, officials said at the news conference - which would put services on track to resume for Tuesday afternoon.

The Atlantic City Rail Line also suspended operations at 4pm Sunday due to the rapidly deteriorating weather conditions and the continued evacuation of Atlantic City.

Closing in: A storm surge hits a small tree as winds from Hurricane Sandy reach Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut as the state declared a state of emergency

Chaos: Waves crash over Winthrop Shore Drive in Massachusetts as Hurricane Sandy comes up the coast

Monster: Waves crash over Eric Mongirdas as the storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy pummels the coastline in Milford, Connecticut

The measures announced in New York City come as governors from North Carolina to Connecticut declared states of emergency ahead of Sandy's arrival

As Hurricane Sandy trekked north from the Caribbean to meet two other powerful winter storms, experts said it didn't matter how strong the storm was when it hit land.

'This storm that is going to be impacting the mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast...is going to be destructive, historic, and unfortunately life threatening,' AccuWeather's Bernie Rayno said to ABC News.

Insurers also prepared for the storm's arrival, activating claims teams, staging adjusters near the locations most likely to be affected and generally getting ready to pay for a potentially huge volume of losses.

At high tide, it could bring a surge of seawater up to 11 feet above ground level to Long Island Sound and New York Harbor, forecasters said.

Gusts: A woman tries to take cover from rain in Hoboken while Sandy approaches New Jersey with top sustained winds of 90mph

'Given the large wind field associated with Sandy, elevated water levels could span multiple tide cycles, resulting in repeated and extended periods of coastal and bayside flooding,' the forecasters said.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was criticised for not interrupting a vacation in Florida while a snowstorm pummeled the state in 2010, broke off campaigning for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in North Carolina on Friday to return home.

'I can be as cynical as anyone,' said Christie, who declared a state of emergency Saturday. 'But when the storm comes, if it's as bad as they're predicting, you're going to wish you weren't as cynical as you otherwise might have been.'

'Don't be stupid. Get out and go to higher, safer ground,' New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said on Sunday. 'Let's get to work on this. We know how to do this. We've been through this before.'

Eighty-five-year-old former sailor Ray Leonard agreed. And he knows to heed warnings.

STORM SURGE: HOW TO PREPARE FOR A NATURAL DISASTER New York City’s Office of Emergency Management offers advice for what to do in case disaster strikes:

Residents should construct an emergency supply kit, complete with a gallon of water per person per day for drinking, as well as non-perishable foods, first aid kids, and flashlights

In case drinking water becomes polluted, iodine tablets are recommended, and supplies for personal hygiene such as toothbrush, tooth paste, soap, and any medications needed

People should designate two meeting places – one near the home, and the other place in the neighborhood, like a library or place of worship

It is also extremely helpful to keep a list of emergency contacts, both in the area, and out-of-town in case those in the city cannot be reached

Those living around bodies of water have the greatest risk of flooding from Sandy’s storm surge and are now subject to mandatory evacuations ordered by Mayor Bloomberg. Those further inland have less of a danger



Leonard and two crewmates in his 32-foot sailboat, Satori, rode out 1991's infamous 'perfect storm,' made famous by the Sebastian Junger best-selling book of the same name, before being plucked from the Atlantic off Martha's Vineyard, Mass., by a Coast Guard helicopter.

'Don't be rash,' Leonard said Saturday from his home in Fort Myers, Fla. 'Because if this does hit, you're going to lose all those little things you've spent the last 20 years feeling good about.'

Sandy killed at least 66 people as it made its way through the Caribbean islands, including 51 in Haiti, mostly from flash flooding and mudslides, according to authorities.

The approaching storm forced a change of plans for both presidential candidates ahead of the November 6 election.



Sandy weakened briefly to a tropical storm Saturday but was soon back up to Category 1 strength, packing 75 mph winds. It was about 260 miles (420 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and moving northeast at 13 mph as of 5am Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.