ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - At least 16 U.S. deaths are being blamed on Superstorm Sandy, which has knocked out power to an estimated 6.6 million people across the East.
Sandy slammed into the New Jersey coastline with 80 mph winds Monday night and hurled an unprecedented 13-foot surge of seawater at New York City, flooding its tunnels, subway stations and the electrical system that powers Wall Street.
But for New York City, Sandy was not the dayslong onslaught many had feared, and the wind and rain that sent water sloshing into Manhattan began dying down within hours. The full extent of the storm's damage across the region is unclear, and unlikely to be known until daybreak.
Heavy rain and further flooding remain major threats over the next couple of days as the storm makes its way into Pennsylvania and up into New York State. Near midnight, the center of the storm was just outside Philadelphia, and its winds were down to 75 mph, just barely hurricane strength.
Wall Street will be closed for a second day. This is the first time the markets will be closed for consecutive regular trading days since 1888.
Estimates show the storm is affecting about 60 million people.
