WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Oct 30: The silence after the storm was eerie, as if the monster that has been pounding the US East Coast for two days, was giving more than 50 million terrorised residents a respite to count their losses: 38 deaths, 80 homes burned, 7.5 million homes and shops without electricity and more than $20 billion wasted. The death toll, just two on Monday evening, crawled up as reports of damage from this vast region — Carolinas to Maine — piled up.

Most of the deaths happened when people ignored official warning, ventured out and got trapped under falling trees. Two missing members of a 16-men ship were also among the dead. Other 14 were rescued.

Millions across the region spent the night between Monday and Tuesday in total darkness as Sandy, the superstorm that hit the land near New Jersey, also caused massive power breakdowns.

Authorities said more than 7.5 million homes and businesses were without electricity.

Mass transit systems —including America’s largest subway network in New York — remained suspended on Tuesday as well. And the world’s financial headquarters — the Wall Street — also remained closed for a second day on Tuesday. The storm sent a nearly 14-foot surge of seawater into the New York Stock Exchange.

US President Barack Obama received on Tuesday an update from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner “on conditions in financial markets and the operations of the financial system”, the White House said.

As President Obama later pointed out, statistics did not convey the fear and apprehension that two days of constant pounding and incessant rains, which started on Sunday evening, caused across the region.

“It can be gut-wrenching to see the reports of what’s happening and feel like you can’t do anything to help. But it’s important to remember that you really can,” said President Obama in an appeal he issued on Tuesday, urging Americans to donate generously to organisations helping the victims.

“But the most important thing at this moment is that you and your loved ones are staying safe, and that the rest of us do what we can to help speed the recovery,” said Mr Obama while asking people to stay home.

Major disaster The president declared ‘major disaster’ in New York, Long Island and New Jersey, offering federal funding for rescue and rehabilitation.

The low death toll, 38 in a population of more than 50 million, also showed that extensive precautionary measures, initiated at least a week before the storm, succeeded in limiting the damage.

Sandy made a landfall at around 8pm on Monday near Atlantic City, New Jersey, cutting off the city from the mainland.

The storm surge stranded many citizens in Atlantic City and other barrier islands who ignored warnings to evacuate. Hundreds of people were evacuated after a levee broke in the northern New Jersey town of Moonachie. At least three deaths were reported.

The surging sea washed away rail lines. Parts of the coast were still under water.

Power outages in New Jersey affected more than 2.3 million homes and businesses.

The full extent of the damage in New Jersey was still not known.

“It is beyond anything I thought I’d ever see,” New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told a news briefing on Tuesday. “It is a devastating sight right now.”

New York was among the worst hit as seawater entered homes and offices in Manhattan. A record storm surge, higher than predicted, and high winds damaged the electrical system and plunged millions of people into darkness.

Utilities said it could be up to a week before power is fully restored.

Five storm related deaths were reported from New York.

A fire burned 80 to 100 houses in one flooded section of Queens. Power outages affected more than 1.8 million homes and businesses.

Sea and rain water entered subway and motorway tunnels as well as an under-construction pit at the World Trade Centre.

The storm caused the worst damage to the 108-year-old New York subway system, and there was no indication of when the trains would roll again.

The water also inundated tunnels, subway stations and the electrical system that powers Wall Street. Skyscrapers swayed and creaked in winds that partially toppled a crane 74 storeys above Midtown Manhattan. A large tanker ship ran aground near Staten Island.

A spokesperson for New York’s Mass Transit Authority said draining the tunnels and bridges would be a nightmare.

“We don’t know how long it will take to restore the transit system,” MTA spokeswoman Marjorie Anders told reporters.

In Washington, federal and local governments, courts, schools and the Metro system that serves 1.2 million customers a day remained closed on Tuesday as well.

Power outages in Washington affected 25,000 homes and businesses.

In West Virginia, gusty winds turned into blizzards, dumping more than a foot of snow in some areas. One death reported. Power outages affected more than 128,000 homes and businesses.

Airlines cancelled more than 12,000 flights on Monday. New York City’s three major airports were closed on Tuesday as well. Hundreds of flights to Washington’s three airports were cancelled on Monday and widespread cancellations were expected on Tuesday too.

The storm put the US presidential campaign on hold just one week before the election day.

As the storm moved towards Midwest, officials issued high wind and flood warnings in Chicago.Weather experts said Hurricane Sandy converged with a cold-weather system in the Northeast, turning into a monstrous hybrid of rain and high winds.

Just before it made landfall, forecasters stripped Sandy of hurricane status, but the distinction did not lessen its ferocity. Weather monitoring services said in some areas they observed the highest storm surges ever recorded.