No Azeri citizens killed in massive Hurricane Sandy
By Seymur Aliyev
No Azerbaijani citizens are among victims of a massive hurricane that has hit the east coast of the United States, according to preliminary data, Azerbaijan's embassy in the U.S. said Wednesday.
"As a rule, relevant agencies of the U.S. inform foreign embassies about victims among these countries' citizens. The Azerbaijani embassy has not received such information so far," the embassy said.
The diplomatic mission asked Azerbaijani citizens affected by Hurricane Sandy to contact its consular department.
No casualties have so far been reported among citizens of Georgia, Azerbaijan's neighbor in the South Caucasus, either, according to preliminary information, Georgian Consulate in New York said.
The Georgian consulate said it has been regularly in contact with Georgian citizens living in New York. They had been warned about the expected hurricane two days in advance and it was suggested to them to follow recommendations of local authorities.
Meanwhile, Georgian citizens said they have suffered material damage, as most of them lost their cars, swept away by floods or damaged by fallen trees.
Much of New York was plunged into darkness Monday by a superstorm that overflowed the city's historic waterfront, flooded the financial district and subway tunnels and cut power to hundreds of thousands of people.
Hurricane Sandy, which before raged in the Caribbean and claimed lives of over 60 people, hit the east coast of the United States on Tuesday night. Wind velocity is now up to 105 kilometers per hour.
The storm killed at least 50 people in the United States and Canada, including at least 18 in New York City. The main causes of death are falling trees, road signs and billboards.
The hurricane caused damage worth $20 billion.
Sandy, which crashed ashore with hurricane-force winds on Monday near the New Jersey gambling resort of Atlantic City, was the biggest storm to hit the country in generations. It swamped parts of New York's subway system and lower Manhattan's Wall Street district, closing financial markets for a second day.
Businesses and homes along New Jersey's shore were wrecked and communities were submerged under floodwater across a large area. More than 8 million homes and businesses in several states were without electricity as trees toppled by Sandy's fierce winds took down power lines. Across the region, crews began the monumental task of getting power back on.
Some East Coast cities like Washington, Philadelphia and Boston were spared the worst effects from Sandy and appeared ready to return to normal by Wednesday. But New York City, large parts of New Jersey and some other areas will need at least several days to get back on their feet.
Neighborhoods along the East and Hudson rivers in Manhattan were underwater, as were low-lying streets in Battery Park near Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center once stood. Lower Manhattan could be without power for four days.