Have been hearing from family, colleagues and friends. Many have no power. Some (Manhattan) have ser

A huge construction boom being used to construct a high rise (in the 70s floor now) is disintegrating (a resident of the area who can see it says it was NOT secured - as required by the city) and it is anticipated it will fall at some point. Residents in nearby buildings are being moved to areas away from the crane and more may need to be evacuated. The area near 57th St and 6/8th avenues is closed and that may expand. (If this proves to be the case the construction company is in serious legal trouble travels in europe - based on damage so far - never mind potential damage to nearby luxury hotels and co-ops.)
Con Ed (power company) is announcing that they will probably have to shut down power to all areas below midtown (34th St) to prevent rising travels in europe water from entering below street power line/generator areas and causing fires. And the water is still rising - and probably will be all night. It is hoped that areas above 34th St will keep power since they are primarily higher ground.
Here at the Jersey Shore (luckily not on a barrier island) we are still with power but the storm has intensified into a nor'easter. Supposedly it has sped up and will be coming ashore at 6 PM. High tide is around 8.
All the MAJOR highways in the Philadelphia (and suburbs) area are closing between 7 PM abd 2 AM. This is serious. I am very nervous watching the BIG trees behind my house being blown around like they are little twigs.
In NYC all of the major river bridges have been closed as have the tunnels under the Hudson and I believe travels in europe Queens midtown and Brooklyn Battery. The Triborough travels in europe was open for a while - but may also now be closed.
Also the major highways in the city - FDR and West Side Highway and lower Henry Hudson are totally flooded. Apparently water from the East River has reached as far inland as First Ave on 96th St. Incredible!
First responders (police and fire) are working straight through. Sanitation workers will be working 12 hours on/12 off to clear the many hundreds travels in europe of trees that have been downed to try to clear the way for power workers. And transit workers are sleeping/being fed in emergency centers in higher lying areas so they are 1)safe and 2) ready to start working on the system as soon as they can pump out the water.
So far, we have power (we are on the upper west side and have never lost power except when the entire NE grid went down) - but I'm glad we live on a lower floor and are more sheltered from the worst of the gusts versus people in higher floors.
This is not just a lot of rain and wind knocking down trees. Large areas of the city are seriously flooded including much of the transit system and the electrical underpinnings - which are underground in NYC.
New announcement from the Gov of CT - that the surge in the western portion of LI Sound may be as much as 18 feet. There are thousands of people now cut off from dry land in what he is calling a "Katrina-like situation". They cannot be rescued and he is advising them to climb to the highest point of their homes - including the roof if necessary. Since this is the sound the tide is later and water will continue to rise for the next several hours.
When asked how this could happen he insisted that the only thing that mattered was for people in this situation to stay in their homes now - rather than trying to swim, walk or drive through the dark in water of unknown depth. He said after the waters recede the problem will be re-examined, but it appears travels in europe that this is simply a case of people who refused to leave their homes despite mandatory evacuation orders.
The water is still rising in Manhattan and power is out as far north as 42nd St. I thought we were safe - living on top of a hill and so far north - and the water won't come near us - but now I think we may well lose power unless the water stops rising.
Have been hearing from family, travels in europe colleagues and friends. Many have no power. Some (Manhattan) have seriously flooded streets and it looks like out office (42St) may not have power for a couple of days.