Evacuations and interrupted presidential campaign

Published October 30, 2012
Young boys play video games while in the sleeping area of a Red Cross shelter in Hampton Bays, New York.-Photo by Reuters
Young boys play video games while in the sleeping area of a Red Cross shelter in Hampton Bays, New York.-Photo by Reuters
Sea water floods the Ground Zero construction site, in New York. Sandy continued on its path, as the storm forced the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain.-Photo by AP
Sea water floods the Ground Zero construction site, in New York. Sandy continued on its path, as the storm forced the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain.-Photo by AP
A man walks through a mostly deserted Times Square ahead of Hurricane Sandy in New York.-Photo by Reuters
A man walks through a mostly deserted Times Square ahead of Hurricane Sandy in New York.-Photo by Reuters
This photo provided by 6abc Action News shows the Inlet section of Atlantic City, N.J., as Hurricane Sandy makes it approach.-Photo by AP
This photo provided by 6abc Action News shows the Inlet section of Atlantic City, N.J., as Hurricane Sandy makes it approach.-Photo by AP
Floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy rush into the Port Authority Trans-Hudson's (PATH) Hoboken, New Jersey station through an elevator shaft in this video frame grab from the NY/NJ Port Authority twitter feed.-Photo by Reuters
Floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy rush into the Port Authority Trans-Hudson's (PATH) Hoboken, New Jersey station through an elevator shaft in this video frame grab from the NY/NJ Port Authority twitter feed.-Photo by Reuters
A woman walks in her yard, flooded after Hurricane Sandy, in the village of Hoyo Colorado in central Cuba, around 170 kilometres (100 miles) east of Havana.-Photo by Reuters
A woman walks in her yard, flooded after Hurricane Sandy, in the village of Hoyo Colorado in central Cuba, around 170 kilometres (100 miles) east of Havana.-Photo by Reuters
A large wave crashes over a seawall on the Atlantic Ocean during the early stages of Hurricane Sandy.-Photo by AFP
A large wave crashes over a seawall on the Atlantic Ocean during the early stages of Hurricane Sandy.-Photo by AFP
The trading floor at the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) sits deserted in Chicago, Illinois.-Photo by AFP
The trading floor at the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) sits deserted in Chicago, Illinois.-Photo by AFP
The HMS Bounty, a 180-foot sailboat, submerged in the Atlantic Ocean during Hurricane Sandy approximately 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, N.C. The Coast Guard rescued 14 of the 16 crew members by helicopter. Hours later, rescuers found one of the missing crew members, but she was unresponsive. They are still searching for the captain.-Photo by AP
The HMS Bounty, a 180-foot sailboat, submerged in the Atlantic Ocean during Hurricane Sandy approximately 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, N.C. The Coast Guard rescued 14 of the 16 crew members by helicopter. Hours later, rescuers found one of the missing crew members, but she was unresponsive. They are still searching for the captain.-Photo by AP
Pedestrians walk past a submerged taxi in Brooklyn, New York.-Photo by Reuters
Pedestrians walk past a submerged taxi in Brooklyn, New York.-Photo by Reuters
Barack Obama steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Obama cancelled his appearance at a campaign rally in Orlando, Florida and returned early to Washington, DC to monitor response to Hurricane Sandy-Photo by AFP
Barack Obama steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Obama cancelled his appearance at a campaign rally in Orlando, Florida and returned early to Washington, DC to monitor response to Hurricane Sandy-Photo by AFP
Flood waters surround a car parked on a street in Hoboken, New Jersey.-Photo by Reuters
Flood waters surround a car parked on a street in Hoboken, New Jersey.-Photo by Reuters
People wait in the lobby of the Hampton Inn Manhattan-SoHo after the power went out in New York City.-Photo by AP
People wait in the lobby of the Hampton Inn Manhattan-SoHo after the power went out in New York City.-Photo by AP
People take photographs in flood water in the Meatpacking District in Manhattan, New York.-Photo by AFP
People take photographs in flood water in the Meatpacking District in Manhattan, New York.-Photo by AFP
Waves crash against a previously damaged pier before landfall.-Photo by AFP
Waves crash against a previously damaged pier before landfall.-Photo by AFP
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (C) prepares to make a peanut butter and honey sandwich as Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus (R) looks on aboard his campaign bus en route to a campaign rally at Avon Lake High School in Avon Lake, Ohio. Romney canceled campaign events on October 29 and 30 due to Hurricane Sandy.-Photo by AFP
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (C) prepares to make a peanut butter and honey sandwich as Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus (R) looks on aboard his campaign bus en route to a campaign rally at Avon Lake High School in Avon Lake, Ohio. Romney canceled campaign events on October 29 and 30 due to Hurricane Sandy.-Photo by AFP

Monster storm Sandy swept a wall of churning sea water and driving rain onto the eastern United States on Monday, flooding major cities and leaving death and chaos in its wake. Seawater coursed between the iconic skyscrapers of New York’s financial district in lower Manhattan, flooding subways and road tunnels and shorting out the power grid, plunging hundreds of thousands into darkness.

The catastrophe completely overwhelmed the US election race, forcing a halt to campaigning just eight days before Americans are due to go to the polls to choose between President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney.

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