Many New Yorkers Saturday are still without critical resources, including power, heat and food, in the wake of the devastation caused by “superstorm” Sandy that thrashed the U.S. East Coast.
Some New Yorkers were surprised that Mayor Michael Bloomberg had initially given the go-ahead for Sunday's New York Marathon, when so many of the city's residents are in dire need. Bloomberg reversed his decision Friday, saying he did not want a “cloud” to hang over the race or its participants.
A New York newspaper says it discovered race officials were hoarding supplies for the race that could have been used for Sandy's victims.
The New York Post said among the resources stashed away were 41 power generators that could have provided electricity for homes, hundreds of portable toilets, pallets of water and dozens of coffee brewers.
Mayor Bloomberg compared having the race to the 2001 Marathon after the September 11 terror attack on the World Trade Center. But, that race came two months after the attack. Sandy struck the city less than a week ago.
Preliminary estimates have put the total cost of the storm for the east coast at between $20 billion and $50 billion. And each day businesses remain closed reduces the region's economic output by about $200 million.
Although affected parts of the U.S. East Coast are trying to get back to business as usual, many challenges remain.
Many transit systems are still operating on limited schedules, and many gas stations are not able to operate because they still do not have power. A report in New Jersey's Bergen Record newspaper says it could be a month or more before train service to New York is fully restored.
The American Automobile Association says about 60 percent of gas stations in New Jersey and about 70 percent of those on New York's Long Island are closed.
The U.S. government said Friday that the Defense Department will buy and transport 22 million gallons of extra fuel to the region to help ease the shortages.
The government also said it is allowing foreign ships to help carry fuel from one U.S. port to another, something that is normally not legal.
