There appears to be a concerted effort by Democratic politicians and their liberal MSM mouthpieces to provide the appearance of normality returning to NYC and NJ. This is crucial for the election on Tuesday. The fact that people are still dying, there is no gas in 70% of the gas stations, 2.5 million people remain without power almost a week after the storm, and the haphazard effort to restore power for public relations purposes is setting off explosions, is being overwhelmed by the positive spin being put out by the MSM. I wonder what the citizens of NYC think?
Sandy death toll in US rises to 109; ‘there could be more,’ Bloomberg warns
Two bodies were recovered Friday on Staten Island. The toll in the nation’s largest city is now 41 deaths, according to the governor’s office. However, the New York Police Department had reported 40 deaths in the city.
Half of the city’s deaths were on Staten Island and Bloomberg noted the deaths there of two brothers swept from their mother’s arms in the storm surge.
“It just breaks your heart to think about it,” Bloomberg said.
Besides New York City, the deaths NBC News has confirmed are:
- New Jersey: 22
- Pennsylvania: 12
- Maryland: 11
- Rest of New York state: 8
- West Virginia: 6
- Connecticut: 4
- Virginia: 2
- North Carolina: 2
- Puerto Rico: 1
The storm also killed at least 69 people in the Caribbean, including 54 in Haiti and 11 in Cuba.
Four days after Sandy struck the U.S., New York and the wider region were in full recovery mode Friday:
- NYC Marathon: Bloomberg said it was being canceled even though he had earlier defended the decision to hold it Sunday.
- Gasoline shortages: New York Harbor reopened Friday, providing a critical refueling supply line for the region. But motorists still waited in long lines for gasoline.
- Manhattan traffic: New York City said it had lifted, as of 5 p.m. ET, the order that vehicles entering Manhattan must have at least three occupants.
- Shelter, food aid: 5,500 people are still in 15 New York City shelters and some could be out of their homes long term. The city on Thursday gave out 290,000 meals and 500,000 bottles of water at 13 stations. Those deliveries will continue indefinitely. But residents of outlying areas like Staten Island and Coney Island complained aid was little and late. “People are defecating in the hallways,” one Coney Island resident without power or water told NBC 4 New York.
- Damage cost: In New York state alone, the cost could exceed $18 billion, a state official said Friday. Private estimates for the entire region range up to $50 billion in economic losses.
- N.J. beach homes: Thousands of people were still not allowed to return to their Jersey coast properties due to safety concerns. Gov. Chris Christie said Friday he had his first meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers to work on how and where to rebuild along the shore.
- Casinos reopen: Atlantic City, N.J., was given the green light to reopen casinos on Friday.
- Military help: Nearly 7,400 National Guard members have provided support, giving out 144,000 meals in New York City and Long Island, rescuing more than 2,000 people and 200 pets, and clearing debris, the Department of Defense said. Equipment and supplies are being delivered, including: ships to New York City to give first responders a place to rest; millions of meals from West Virginia to New York; and trucks that will deliver about 200,000 gallons of fuel.
New Yorkers also got a bit of a scare Friday when police ammo and explosives ruined during the storm were detonated in several controlled explosions on Ellis Island.
More content from NBCNews.com:
- Near-freezing cold, potential nor’easter add to misery
- New York Harbor reopens to offer fuel supply
- Cops: NYC man pulls pistol after cutting in line for gas
- Deadliest zone: Staten Island reels from devastation
- Wind, flames, Our Fathers: The inside story of Breezy Point’s terrible night
- ‘We’ll figure out a way’: Breezy Point looks ahead
- War veterans hit Sandy’s front lines for rescues, cleanup
- How to avoid post-storm insurance and repair scams
- Your Sandy photos: Show us the heroes in your life
- Sandy’s aftermath: How you can help
- Full NBC News coverage of Sandy aftermath
Explosions rock manhole covers as Con Ed restores power in Manhattan
Officials said the explosions occurred when the utility started restoring electricity and the current hit salt on the power lines. The salt was the remnant of a 10-foot wave of East River water that crashed through the complex at the height of the storm Monday.
BARBARA ROSS/ DAILY NEWS
Several small explosions rattled storm-weary residents of Peter Cooper Village late Friday night and even blew two manhole covers as Con Edison was restoring power to the area.
Several small explosions rattled storm-weary residents of Peter Cooper Village late Friday night and even blew two manhole covers as Con Edison was restoring power to the area.
The latest apparent nastiness from Hurricane Sandy — days after the nightmare storm — caused no injuries, according to paramedics and Con Ed officials on the scene.
PHOTOS: HURRICANE SANDY’S PATH OF DESTRUCTION
LIVE BLOG: THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE SANDY
Officials said the explosions occurred when the utility started restoring electricity and the current hit salt on the power lines. The salt was the remnant of a 10-foot wave of East River water that crashed through the complex at the height of the storm Monday.
Residents said the first explosion occurred near 6 Peter Cooper Road and filled the building’s basement with acrid smoke.
City Councilman Dan Garodnick said the Fire Department was called after high levels of carbon monoxide were detected in the basement.
As that area was almost all cleared of smoke, firefighters and residents were startled to hear two louder explosions nearby, on Avenue C under the FDR Drive.
“It blew us out of bed it was so loud,” one tenant in 8 Peter Cooper Road said around 11:30 p.m.
The second explosion caused the two manhole covers to blow. One cover cracked into pieces from the force.
Garodnick said the management of the complex, which includes Stuyvesant Town, told him Con Ed started bringing power back before the salt was completely cleaned off the electrical equipment.
A fire department official said early Saturday morning that the FDNY received several complaints from Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town of “a gas odor and small explosions” starting around 9 p.m. Friday and continuing until midnight.
The official said some residents were evacuated from the Peter Cooper Village complex as a precaution, but no injuries were reported and residents were eventually allowed to return home.
He said he did not know what caused the problem.
Earlier in the evening, residents received an email from management that it could be weeks before some buildings get power back because the storm caused such serious damage.
-With Erik Badia
Freezing temps in Sandy areas; snow next along with nor’easter?
Power was restored to lower Manhattan and some other areas overnight and Saturday, but it was still lights out for 2.5 million homes and businesses as temperatures were dipping into the 20s in communities like hard-hit Rockaway and the entire region braced itself for a potential nor’easter on Wednesday and Thursday, NBC News reported. “The general impacts will include another round of brisk winds, rainfall and chilly temperatures for the recovery areas along the coast,” weather.com winter weather expert Tom Niziol posted in a Saturday update. The death toll in the U.S from the superstorm rose to 109 victims on Friday, after Sandy killed 69 people as a hurricane in the Caribbean. Furthermore, the storm has made it extremely difficult for people in New York, New Jersey and other states to get gas for their cars and gas-powered generators. On Saturday morning, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that 8 million gallons of gas has been delivered in New York and another 28 million gallons is on the way. New Jersey, began rationing gas in 12 counties on Saturday under an “odd-even” system in which motorists with license plates ending in odd numbers would be able to buy gas on odd-numbered days, according to NBC News. Cuomo also announced that 80 percent of the New York subway system including subway service between Brooklyn and Manhattan has been restored. Get More at NBC News
Stan says:
“Every president inherits challenges,” Freeman says in the 30-second ad’s opening moments.
“Few have faced so many,” he continues with each succeeding sentence linked to an image. “Four years later, our enemies have been brought to justice. Our heroes are coming home. Assembly lines are humming again. There are still challenges to meet. Children to educate. A middle-class to rebuild. But the last thing we should is turn back now.”
Morgan freeman talking about The Leader
Hot debate. What do you think?
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3rd November 2012 at 3:31 pm
Administrator says:
Bloomberg & Cuomo say things are back to normal. What do you think?
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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3rd November 2012 at 6:28 pm
Kill Bill says:
Build a wall around it, booby trap the bridge and mine the harbor.
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3rd November 2012 at 8:09 pm
sangell says:
I recall Con Ed said more than 100 buildings had power restored but were still without internal power because of flooded basement. My guess is that is going to be the next big issue. Con Ed can restore power to all of that darkened area but it may not mean a lot if the buildings mechanical rooms were or still are flooded ( and with salt water). If seawater got into the subway tunnels it probably got into everything else that was below ground. As with that NYU hospital that lost power not because its back up generators failed but because the electrical distribution system was below street level and apparently got flooded, so it is going to be with many of the great skyscrapers of southern Manhattan.
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3rd November 2012 at 8:31 am