Hurricane Sandy hits US East Coast

Hurricane Sandy

Wikipedia - NASA

Hurricane Sandy is classified as a "Category 1 Hurricane" with wind speeds on land of circa 74 to 95 miles per hour (119–153 kilometres per hour). Well-constructed buildings are likely to withstand the gale winds, but the storm can bring down powerlines and trees, cause floods and heavy snowfalls, as well as topple vehicles and unsecured installations.

Meteorologists say the storm has a large destructive potential. The storm surge of Hurricane Sandy is regarded as very dangerous. Millions of residents in low-lying areas have already been asked by local authorities to evacuate.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the radius of the storm is 175 miles (280 kilometres). Since official records of storm size began in 1988, only the tropical storm Olga has been larger in radius. So far, the death toll of Hurrican Sandy in the Caribbean region stands at 65.