As superstorm Sandy nears,US braces for massive destruction

Sandy strengthened before dawn and stayed on a predicted path towards New York,Washington DC,Baltimore and Philadelphia,putting it on a collision course with two other weather systems that would create a superstorm with the potential for havoc over 800 miles (1,280 km) from the east coast to the Great Lakes.

Airports closed,and authorities warned that the time for evacuation was running out. Many workers planned to stay home as subways,buses and trains shut down across the region under the threat of flooding. Utilities anticipated widespread power failures.

The centre of the storm was positioned to come ashore Monday night in New Jersey,meaning the worst of the surge could be in the northern part of that state and in New York City and on Long Island. Higher tides brought by a full moon compounded the threat to the metropolitan area of about 20 million people. “This is the worst-case scenario,” said Louis Uccellini,environmental prediction chief for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Almost 10,000 flights were cancelled. Amtrak began suspending train service across the northeast,and subways were also closed. As rain from the leading edges began to fall over the northeast on Sunday,hundreds of thousands of people from Maryland to Connecticut were ordered to leave low-lying coastal areas.

President Barack Obama declared emergency in Massachusetts,Connecticut,Rhode Island,New York,New Jersey and Pennsylvania,authorising federal relief work to begin well ahead of time.

Major US financial markets,including the New York Stock Exchange,Nasdaq,planned a rare shutdown Monday. Financial markets will remain closed on Tuesday.

Hurricane Sandy,located 180 km southeast of Atlantic City,New Jersey,285 km south-southeast of New York City,is expected to make landfall Monday evening (Tuesday morning in India).

Storm hits presidential campaign,Obama asks people to heed warnings

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama said he was confident that state and federal governments had prepared for the superstorm. He said millions would be affected,and urged Americans to heed warnings.

“Please listen to what your state and local officials are saying. When they tell you to evacuate,you need to evacuate. Don’t delay,don’t pause,don’t question the instructions that are being given,because this is a powerful storm,” he said on Monday.

The hurricane forced both Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney to change their campaign plans on Monday. While putting a severe limit on campaigning,the storm also came as an opportunity to Obama to demonstrate steady leadership in the face of crisis.

A week from election day,the President said he was not worried about the impact of the storm on his re-election chances,and that the number one priority was to make sure lives were saved.

Romney had planned to hold an event in Wisconsin on Monday and to speak in Iowa and Florida on Tuesday. His campaign said he believed the time was now for the nation to focus on getting people out of harm’s way. Agencies