Super Storm Hits US leaving 16 People Dead and 6.2 Million Without Light

America is waking this morning to scenes of death and absolute devastation after its East Coast was hit with the full force of the biggest storm in U.S. history, leaving 16 people dead and almost 6.2million without power. As Sandy swept away and west, millions of people will be counting the cost of this natural disaster that has wrecked homes, infrastructure and the lives of those unlucky enough to be in its relentless and violent path. The people of Atlantic City have been badly hit, as it is mainly under water after the ferocious winds hit its shores. Dozens of people have been rescued from the roof of their properties because many areas are flooded with at least 6ft seawater.

Darkness still shrouds the true scale of damage although it is likely to run into billions of dollars, but new photos show areas like Florida, Washington DC and Annapolis in Maryland have been crushed and are crumbling after being hit by the storm's lethal force.

It is also still unclear what has happened to 500 people who were stranded on the Atlantic City's barrier island. They were unable to escape before Sandy - dubbed the Frankenstorm - rolled in.  The storm made landfall at the coast of New Jersey at 8pm EST last night, and the estimated cost of repairs now stands at up to $20billion, making this potentially one of the most expensive natural disasters the country has ever seen.

The 1,000-mile-wide storm lashed towns and cities up and down the East Coast, with cars floating down flood-hit streets in New York City and the 911 system inundated with 10,000 calls every half an hour. Atlantic City's fabled boardwalk was ripped up by the 80mph winds, down slightly from the 90mph speeds at which they were traveling before hitting landfall, when Sandy was still classified as a hurricane. Willie Glass, Atlantic City's public safety director, said: 'The city's basically flooded. Most of the city is under water.'

 Source: Daily Mail