Hurricane Sandy Update 2:30pm Monday, NY time

Hurricane Sandy Hits Newyork - News Report

Published on Oct 29, 2012 by hi5funny

Hurricane Sandy Hits Newyork - News Report
Hurricane Sandy Hits Newyork - Live First Footage

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg warns New Yorkers to prepare for a "massive" storm as Hurricane Sandy threatens the US East Coast. New York has called up 1,000 extra troops from the National Guard as "superstorm" Hurricane Sandy bears down on the city. Heavy rain and strong winds have started lashing the northeast of the US, with the public safety director of Atlantic City declaring that the majority of his city is "underwater".

As forecasters warn New York could bear the brunt of the one-of-a-kind storm - dubbed a "Frankenstorm" - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave last-minute advice to citizens before the "massive" hurricane hits. Urging people to follow evacuation orders if they still can, he 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 to rescue you." He said around 3,000 people have reached 76 emergency public shelters around the city, with a combination of the storm surge, coastal flooding and a ferocious blizzard posing the greatest threat.

Sandy is on a collision course with two other weather systems leading to fears it could develop into one of the worst storms on record in the US. Floodwater has inundated the Atlantic City boardwalk (Twitter.com/hoeboma) The storm is threatening up to 50m people on the heavily populated East Coast, and forecasters say it could wreak havoc over 800 miles (1,280km) from the Atlantic coast to the Great Lakes.

Authorities are warning New York could be hit with an 11ft (3.3-metre) wall of water that could swamp parts of lower Manhattan, flood subway tunnels and cripple the network of electrical and communications lines that are vital to the nation's financial centre.

Sandy, a Category 1 hurricane, is currently about 380 miles (615km) southeast of New York City, with winds of about 85mph (140kph).  Hurricane Sandy Flooding in Norfolk, Virginia

The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said it strengthened as it turned toward the coast on a predicted path toward New York, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia. It is moving at 15 mph (24 kph). The centre of the storm is expected to come ashore on Monday night in New Jersey, meaning the worst of the storm surge could be in the northern part of that state and in New York City and on Long Island.

The massive storm, which is hundreds of miles across, is set to stay until at least mid-week, bringing hurricane winds, flooding rains and snow in the Appalachian mountains. Hundreds of thousands of people have already evacuated coastal areas, but much focus remains on New York.