CAPTAIN TAREK DREAM: October 2012

حول إعصار ساندي الذي يضرب الولايات المتحدة حاليا مدينة نيويورك الشهيرة إلى بلدة أشباح غارقة تحت الماء فيما يشبه أفلام الخيال العلمي والكوارث الكبرى

مستوى الماء ارتفع لأكثر من متر

الإعصار قتل 33 شخصا حتى يوم الثلاثاء في الولايات المتحدة

رجلان يحاولان السير وسط الفيضان

رافعة بناء تهشمت تماما من جراء الرياح

بورصة نيويورك الشهيرة حاصرت أبوابها بأكياس الرمل لمنع المياه من التدفق إليها

تهدم أجزاء من مبنى سكني في ضاحية تشيلسي

فيضان المياه يجتاح سيارتين

سماء المدينة ملبدة بالغيوم قبل هطول السيول

المشهد الأفقي الشهير لنيويورك باللون الرمادي هذه المرة

الوضع على حدود نيويورك

محاولة لتحصين الأنفاق بأكياس الرمل

الأشجار كانت السبب الرئيسي في الوفيات بسبب سقوطها فوق البشر والسيارات

تحطم أحد فروع سلسلة ستاربكس الشهيرة

المدينة في الليل قبل انقطاع الكهرباء

كانت أغلب أجزاء المدينة مهجورة، وأغلقت شبكات قطار الأنفاق والجسور والمطارات وأوقفت الحافلات والقطارات

المياه تغمر أحد جراجات السيارات

انقطاع التيار الكهربي والإنترنت

مبنى الإمباير ستايت احتفظ بإضاءته رغم انقطاع التيار الكهربي

مدينة الأشباح

شجرة أخرى تسد الطريق

أحد رجال الطواريء يحاول تصريف المياه

شجرة مهشمة على ساحل المدينة

شجرة مهشمة جنوب منطقة مانهاتن

رجل إنقاذ يصارع الماء

سيارة مهشمة تحت ثقل شجرة اقتلعتها العاصفة

إحدى المستشفيات قامت بترحيل المرضى على أضواء الكشافات خوفا على حياتهم

أحد أنفاق نيويورك الشهيرة مغطى تماما بالماء

قطعت الكهرباء عن نحو خمسمائة ألف منزل في الولاية، بينها 250 ألفا في مانهاتن

قطة غرقت على ساحل المدينة

قالت إدارة الإطفاء بنيويورك على موقع تويتر، أن خمسين منزلا أو أكثر دمرت في الحريق.

FDNY fire and rescue personnel lead a boat of ConEd power workers through flood waters after their power station was over fun by flood waters in New York, October 29, 2012. Nineteen workers were trapped inside a Consolidated Edison power station on the east side of Manhattan Monday night by rising floodwaters that accompanied the surge from powerful storm Sandy

Sky 5 flies over Kitty Hawk, Jockey's Ridge State Park and the surrounding coastline after Hurricane Sandy trudged by on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012

The Undoso River after it burst its banks due to rainfall from Hurricane Sandy, flooding part of the village of Sagua La Grande in central Cuba, around 240 km (149 miles) east of Havana October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy closed in on the United States on Saturday as coastal communities along the East Coast scrambled to prepare for torrential rains, high winds, major flooding and power outages a week before the presidential election

Storm surf kicked up by the high winds from Hurricane Sandy break onto homes in Southampton, New York October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years.

Swans swim in a yard that has been flooded by storm surf kicked up by the high winds from Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New York October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years.

Waves crash over Eric Mongirdas as the storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy pummels the coastline in Milford, Connecticut October 29, 2012. , The monster storm bearing down on the U.S. east coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground

Firefighters look up at a partially collapsed crane hanging from a high-rise building in Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy makes its approach in New York October 29, 2012

Workers place sandbags at the Path Station as it starts to get flooded in Hoboken while Hurricane Sandy approaches to New Jersey, October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the U.S. East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the U.S. stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years.

A man makes his way through flood waters on a bike in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York, October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy began battering the U.S. East Coast on Monday with fierce winds and driving rain, as the monster storm shut down transportation, shuttered businesses and sent thousands scrambling for higher ground hours before the worst was due to strike

A man walks out of rising water in downtown Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy makes its approach in New York October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the U.S. East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the U.S. stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years.

A person looks at water from the Hudson River spilling over a wall flooding the street in front of the train station in Hoboken, New Jersey, October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the U.S. East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the U.S. stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years

A man watches the rising tides in Battery Park as Hurricane Sandy makes its approach in New York October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the U.S. East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the U.S. stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years

A woman walks her dog by sandbags in Battery Park in downtown Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy made its approach in New York October 29, 2012. Hurricane Sandy, the monster storm bearing down on the U.S. East Coast, strengthened on Monday after hundreds of thousands moved to higher ground, public transport shut down and the U.S. stock market suffered its first weather-related closure in 27 years

A man peers into a closed subway entrance in downtown Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy makes its approach in New York October 29, 2012

A New York Police officer guards a closed subway entrance in downtown Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy made its approach in New York October 29, 2012

Waves crest over a road by winds caused by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New York, October 29, 2012

Sandbags block the entrance of the New York Stock Exchange in downtown Manhattan as Hurricane Sandy made its approach in New York October 29, 2012

A truck drives through water pushed over a road by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New York, October 29, 2012

Waves crash on shore from high surf ahead of Hurricane Sandy at the pier at Virginia Beach, Virginia October 29, 2012

A woman watches the waves on at Beach 122nd street in the Queens borough of New York October 29, 2012

A man walks across a flooded street in the Belle Harbor section of the Queens borough of New York October 29, 2012

Rising waters break the banks at Battery Park as Hurricane Sandy makes its approach in New York October 29, 2012

A man walks by a boarded up storefront in the Rockaways section of the Queens borough of New York October 29, 2012

New York Stock Exchange workers place sand bags in front of doors and over electrical vaults at the exchange in New York October 28, 2012

Storm waves from Hurricane Sandy crash against the pilings of a boardwalk where Pacific Avenue meets Brigantine Inlet in Atlantic City, New Jersey October 28, 2012

An entrance to a casino which has been boarded and sandbagged for protection from Hurricane Sandy, has "Open" handwritten on the doors, on the Atlantic City boardwalk October 28, 2012

The Trump Plaza Casino and other properties with doors covered with sheets of plywood for protection from Hurricane Sandy, are seen on the Atlantic City boardwalk as the storm approaches, October 28

U.S. President Barack Obama (C) asks a question during a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) briefing about Hurricane Sandy, as it threatens the East Coast, at FEMA headquarters in Washington, October 28, 2012

A fisherman stands on a rock to surf cast in the turbulent waves kicked up by Hurricane Sandy in Montauk, New York, October 28, 2012

Martha Hiatt gathers sand bags at the Belle Harbor section of Rockaway beach in the Queens borough of New York October 28, 2012

Beachgoers along the oceanfront get soaked by an incoming wave as Hurricane Sandy begins to arrive in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 28, 2012

Storm waves from Hurricane Sandy in Ocean City, New Jersey, October 28, 2012

U.S. East Coast crippled by gigantic storm, 30 dead

NEW YORK - Millions of people were left reeling in the aftermath of the massive storm Sandy on Tuesday as New York City and a wide swathe of the eastern United States struggled with epic flooding and extensive power outages. The death toll climbed to at least 30.

Sandy, which crashed ashore with hurricane-force winds on Monday near the New Jersey gambling resort of Atlantic City as the biggest storm to hit the country in generations, swamped parts of New York's subway system and Manhattan's Wall Street district, closing financial markets for a second day.

Businesses and homes along the New Jersey shore were wrecked and communities were submerged under floodwater across a large area. More than 8 million homes and businesses in several states were without electricity as trees toppled by Sandy's fierce winds took down power lines.

Some cities like Washington and Boston that felt some of the effects of Sandy were spared widespread devastation and appeared ready to return to nearly normal conditions by Wednesday. But other places like New York City and large parts of New Jersey were hit especially hard and likely will require at least several days to get back on their feet.

"The devastation is unthinkable," New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said after seeing aerial pictures of the New Jersey shore.

A large blaze destroyed more than 50 homes in the New York City borough of Queens as flooding hampered firefighting efforts. Neighborhoods along the East and Hudson rivers in Manhattan were underwater, as were low-lying streets in Battery Park near Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center once stood.

As the weakened but still sprawling storm system continued its destructive trek inland, more than 1 million people in a dozen states along its path were still under orders to evacuate.

Fort Reuters storm blog:click http://r.reuters.com/tyj63t

The storm interrupted the U.S. presidential campaign just a week before the November 6 election.

Seeking to show he was staying on top of a storm situation that affected a densely populated region, the White House said Obama planned to tour damaged areas of New Jersey on Wednesday accompanied by Christie. The New Jersey governor, who has been a strong supporter of Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney, praised Obama and the federal government's response to the storm.

"New Jersey, New York in particular have been pounded by this storm. Connecticut has taken a big hit," Obama said during a visit to Red Cross headquarters in Washington.

Obama issued federal emergency decrees for New York and New Jersey, declaring that "major disasters" existed in both states. One disaster-forecasting company predicted economic losses could ultimately reach $20 billion, only half insured.

'A DEVASTATING STORM'

"Make no mistake about it. This was a devastating storm, maybe the worst we have ever experienced," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

All along the East Coast, residents and business owners found scenes of destruction.

"There are boats in the street five blocks from the ocean," said evacuee Peter Sandomeno, one of the owners of the Broadway Court Motel in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. "That's the worst storm I've ever seen, and I've been there for 11 years."

Sandy, which was especially imposing because of its wide-ranging winds, brought a record storm surge of almost 14 feet (4.2 meters) to downtown Manhattan, well above the previous record of 10 feet (3 meters) during Hurricane Donna in 1960, the National Weather Service said.

Water poured into the subway tunnels that course under the city, the country's financial capital, and Bloomberg said the subway system would likely be closed for four or five days.

"Hitting at high tide, the strongest surge and the strongest winds all hit at the worst possible time," said Jeffrey Tongue, a meteorologist for the weather service in Brookhaven, New York.

Hurricane-force winds as high as 90 miles per hour (145 km per hour) were recorded, he said. "Hopefully it's a once-in-a-lifetime storm," Tongue said.

As residents and business owners began a massive clean-up effort and faced a long and costly recovery, large parts of the region remained without power, and transportation in the New York metropolitan area was at a standstill.

The U.S. Department of Energy said more than 8 million homes and businesses in several states were without electricity due to the storm.

"This storm is not yet over," Obama told reporters at the Red Cross as he warned of the dangers of continued flooding, downed power lines and high winds. Obama, possibly mindful that disgruntled storm victims could mean problems for his re-election bid, vowed to push hard for power to be restored.

The flooding hampered efforts to fight a massive fire that destroyed more than 50 homes in Breezy Point, a private beach community on the Rockaway barrier island in the New York City borough of Queens.

New York University's Tisch hospital was forced to evacuate more than 200 patients, among them babies on respirators in the neonatal intensive care unit, when the backup generator failed.

Four of the newborns had to be carried down nine flights of stairs while nurses manually squeezed bags to deliver air to the babies' lungs, CNN reported.

The death toll continued to rise, with reports of at least 30 people killed, at least 10 of them in New York City alone.

Storm-related deaths were reported elsewhere in New York state in addition to Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Toronto police also recorded one death - a woman hit by flying debris.

Sandy killed 69 people in the Caribbean last week before pounding U.S. coastal areas.

Federal government offices in Washington were closed for a second day on Tuesday but were due to open on Wednesday. Schools were shut up and down the East Coast but were due to reopen on Wednesday in many places.

The storm weakened as it plowed slowly west across southern Pennsylvania, its remnants situated between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, with maximum winds down to 45 mph (72 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

BLIZZARD WARNINGS

As Sandy converged with a cold weather system, blizzard warnings were in effect for West Virginia, western Maryland, eastern Tennessee, eastern Kentucky and western North Carolina.

At its peak, the storm's wind field stretched from North Carolina north to the Canadian border and from West Virginia to a point in the Atlantic Ocean halfway to Bermuda, easily one of the largest ever seen, the hurricane center said.

Obama and Romney put campaigning on hold for a second day.

But the campaign truce was likely to be short-lived, as Romney planned to hit the trail again in Florida on Wednesday. Obama appeared likely to resume campaigning on Thursday for a final five-day sprint to Election Day.

Obama faces political danger if the federal government fails to respond well, as was the case with predecessor George W. Bush's botched handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Obama has a chance to show not only that his administration has learned the lessons of Katrina but that he can take charge and lead during a national crisis.

Three towns in New Jersey, just west of New York City, were inundated with up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) of water after the nearby Hackensack River flooded, officials said. Rescuers were using boats to aid the marooned residents of Moonachie, Little Ferry and Carlstadt.

Much of New York City was deserted, as its subways, buses, commuter trains, bridges and airports were closed. Power outages darkened most of downtown Manhattan as well as Westchester County, affecting more than 650,000 customers, power company Consolidated Edison said.

U.S. stock markets were closed on Tuesday but would likely reopen on Wednesday.

Enormity of Sandy seen from space