Hurricane Sandy brought devastating flooding to the Northeast, and as of the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 30, more than 7 million customers in 10 states and Washington, D.C., were without power. To date the storm has taken the lives of 16 people in the United States and 84 people total, CNN reported.
Many officials took to Twitter to provide important information and updates to the public. "If u find urself surrounded by water, call 4 help if u can, then get 2 highest level of home. Hang a white sheet out a street-side window,” the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (@CTDEMHS) tweeted.
“I know people want to inspect their homes on the barrier islands, but at this point it is unsafe. Please be patient,” tweeted New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (@GovChristie).
The storm will continue to weaken Oct. 30, and the National Weather Service reported that Sandy has transitioned to a post-tropical cyclone. However, the storm isn’t over yet. “It's still expected to produce strong winds across the Mid-Atlantic and New England, as well as rainfall amounts of 4-8 inches over portions of the Mid-Atlantic, and snowfall totals of 2-3 feet in the mountains of West Virginia,” said the National Weather Service.
President Barack Obama has declared major disasters for New York and New Jersey. Residents and business owners who sustained losses in designated counties can begin applying for assistance starting tomorrow by registering online at www.disasterassistance.gov, by Web-enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week until further notice.
Interactive and dynamic information sources online provide a look into Sandy and how the storm is changing.
Google’s Crisis Response Map:
New York Public Radio's Map:
The Weather Channel’s Hurricane Tracker
Esri’s Public Information Map:
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s briefing on Hurricane Sandy:
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