Hurricane Sandy Downgraded, But Still Living Up To Concerns

Hurricane Sandy is living up to concerns. Making landfall just a few miles to the south of Atlantic City, New Jersey Monday evening around 8 p.m. Eastern Time, storm surges in New York City are reported to have reached three meters in some areas of lower Manhattan.

It is expected that the largest waves will come later this evening as the tide becomes high, and coordinating with the full-moon that affects the tide.

It’s reported that New York’s main utility has cut electricity to lower Manhattan in an effort to stave off damage to the subway system.

Ria Novosti reports that the storm, which has been downgraded by the National Hurricane Center as a post-tropical cyclone, has left more than two million people without power along much of the Eastern United States.

President Obama has cancelled election campaigning to focus on the storm.

“The most important message that I have for the public right now is please listen to what your state and local officials are saying. When they tell you to evacuate, you need to evacuate. Do not delay, don’t pause, don’t question the instructions that are being given because this is a serious storm and it could potentially have fatal consequences if people haven’t acted quickly,” Obama said.

President Obama convened a meeting earlier Monday in the White House Situation Room to receive updates from FEMA and the National Hurricane Center.

Following that briefing, the President discussed how federal emergency response teams are moving resources into place to ensure that potentially affected areas have the food, water, and disaster relief supplies they need to begin recovery

“Obviously, everybody is aware at this point that this is going to be a big and powerful storm,” the President said. “And all across the Eastern seaboard, I think everybody is taking the appropriate preparations.”

There are reports that there have been deaths in the US related to the storm.