Prayers for the Victims of Hurricane Sandy

“This storm is not yet over," Obama said during a visit to the headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington, warning that some northern states could still face flooding and high winds. "Do not figure out why we can't do something. I want you to figure out how we do something," Obama said. "I want you to cut through red tape, I want you to cut through bureaucracy, there is no excuse for inaction at this point. I want every agency to lean forward."

How Superstorm Sandy unfolded:







The misery of superstorm Sandy's devastation grew on Tuesday as millions along the US East Coast faced life without power or mass transit for days, and huge swaths of New York City remained eerily quiet. The US death toll climbed to 39, many of the victims killed by falling trees, and rescue work continued.

The storm that made landfall in New Jersey on Monday evening with hurricane force cut power to more than 8.2 million across the East and put the presidential campaign on hold just one week before Election Day.

New York was among the hardest hit, with its financial heart closed for a second day. The storm caused the worst damage in the 108-year history of the city's subway system, and there was no indication of when the largest US transit system would be rolling again.

"This was a devastating storm, maybe the worst that we have ever experienced," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

But the full extent of the damage in New Jersey was being revealed as morning arrived. Emergency crews fanned out to rescue hundreds.

A hoarse-voiced New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gave bleak news at a morning news conference: Seaside rail lines washed away. No safe place on the state's barrier islands for him to land. Parts of the coast still under water.   "It is beyond anything I thought I'd ever see," he said. "It is a devastating sight right now."

The death toll from Sandy in the US included several killed by falling trees. Sandy also killed 69 people in the Caribbean before making its way up the Eastern Seaboard.

Airlines canceled more than 12,000 flights. New York City's three major airports remained closed.

Most major tunnels and bridges in New York were closed, as were schools and Broadway theaters.

Latest Updates

• Death toll reaches 39 across US and Canada
• Obama tells East Coast: America is with you
• Governor Christie: devastation 'unthinkable'
• New York's stock markets to reopen Wednesday
• More than 8.2 million people without power
• Fire rips through Queens destroying 50 homes
• Levee breaks in New Jersey causing evacuations


Global Prayer and Intention Circle for those Affected by Hurricane Sandy

Replay of a global prayer for those in the path of the Hurricane at:

You Wealth Revolution


“The great thing about America is when we go through tough times like this, we all pull together,” Obama said Monday afternoon as the television cameras rolled. “We look out for our friends. We look out for our neighbours. And we set aside whatever issues we may have otherwise to make sure that we respond appropriately and with swiftness.”