A woman tries to take cover from rain in Hoboken while Hurricane Sandy approaches New JerseyReuters 
Hurricane Sandy is pictured off the east coast of the United States in this October 28, 2012 NASA handout satellite image.Reuters/NASA/Handout 
Residents try to watch the skyline of New York from a park along the Hudson River across from the Empire State Building as rain falls in Hoboken while Hurricane Sandy approaches to New JerseyReuters 
Waves crash over Mongirdas as the storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy pummels the coastline in Milford, ConnecticutReuters 
A woman carrying two children tries to reach home during rainfall in Jersey City, as Hurricane Sandy approaches New JerseyReuters 
A broken tree is seen during winds as the Path Station starts to get flooded in Hoboken while Hurricane Sandy approaches to New JerseyReuters 
A woman carrying two children tries to reach home during rainfall as Hurricane Sandy approaches New JerseyReuters 
A man watches rising waters on the East River from Brooklyn as Hurricane Sandy made its approach in New YorkReuters 
A pedestrian wrestles with her umbrella in wind and rain from Hurricane Sandy in PhiladelphiaReuters 
A man blown by wind from Hurricane Sandy attempts to take pictures of the storm in Southampton, New YorkReuters 
A car drives through water driven onto a roadway by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New YorkReuters 
A house stands in the center of a yard flooded by water driven inland by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New YorkReuters 
A woman holds the hand of her child as they run from their house to their car before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in ScituateReuters 
A car drives through water driven onto a roadway by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New YorkReuters 
Joey Sweeney rides his bicycle through a flooded street before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in ScituateReuters 
Water driven onto a roadway by Hurricane Sandy breaks over a safety barrier in Southampton, New YorkReuters 
A woman's hair is blown by wind from Hurricane Sandy as she attempts to take pictures of the storm in Southampton, New YorkReuters 
Andrew Higgs watches as waves crash over the sea wall ahead of Hurricane Sandy in ScituateReuters 
A man plays fetch with his dog in a flooded parking lot before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in ScituateReuters 
Lambert feeds her baby as people take shelter from approaching Hurricane Sandy at a Red Cross shelter in Lewes, DelawareReuters 
Girls shiver as they stand beside a man taking a picture of the ocean, shortly before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in ScituateReuters 
U.S. President Obama walks after delivering a statement on the Hurricane Sandy situation from the White House in WashingtonReuters 
Morales and children take shelter from approaching Hurricane Sandy at a Red Cross shelter at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DelawareReuters 
People line up for lunch as they take shelter from approaching Hurricane Sandy at a Red Cross shelter at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DelawareReuters 
Residents test the high surf in in Ocean City, Maryland as Hurricane Sandy intensifiesReuters 
A wave crashes onto a house before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in ScituateReuters 
A man walks through a flooded street as a result of the approaching Hurricane Sandy in ScituateReuters 
U.S. Route 30, one of three major approaches to Atlantic City, New Jersey, is covered with water from Absecon Bay during the approach of Hurricane SandyReuters 
High tide begins to flood a street on the shoreline area of Milford, Connecticut as Hurricane Sandy approachesReuters 
A vehicle makes its way through a flooded street of Milford, Connecticut ahead of Hurricane SandyReuters 
A view of the damage caused to a major banana plantation by the passing of Hurricane Sandy in St. MaryReuters 
A gas station along U.S. Route 30 is submerged in water from Absecon Bay during the approach of Hurricane SandyReuters 
A public works employee attempts to keep storm drains clear of autumn leaves during Hurricane Sandy's approach in WashingtonReuters 
A family goes for a walk as Hurricane Sandy approaches in WashingtonReuters 
A public works employee attempts to keep storm drains clear of autumn leaves during Hurricane Sandy's approach in WashingtonReuters 
A family goes for a walk as Hurricane Sandy approaches in WashingtonReuters 
A power company crew member from South Carolina, pre-positioned to deal with expected power outages from Hurricane Sandy, looks at dune fencing from the boardwalk in Rehoboth BeachReuters 
Wind whips the grass on the dunes as Hurricane Sandy approaches Rehoboth BeachReuters 
Waves crash on shore from high surf ahead of Hurricane Sandy at the pier at Virginia Beach, VirginiaReuters 
Power company crew members from South Carolina, pre-positioned to deal with expected power outages from Hurricane Sandy, look out at the waves from the boardwalk in Rehoboth BeachReuters 
A power company crew member from South Carolina, pre-positioned to deal with expected power outages from Hurricane Sandy, looks out at the waves from the boardwalk in Rehoboth BeachReuters 
A worker tries to secure a tarp in preparation for Hurricane Sandy at a construction site adjacent to city hall in PhiladelphiaReuters 
A beach fence is washed up onto the boardwalk as Hurricane Sandy intensifies in Ocean City, MarylandReuters 
Water starts to rise along the coast in West Haven, Connecticut ahead of arrival of Hurricane SandyReuters 
A fallen tree blocks a road after being blown over by winds from Hurricane Sandy in SouthamptonReuters 
Residents from Long Island stand on beach to take photographs of the waves churned up by Hurricane Sandy in Southampton, New YorkReuters 
A couple runs from waves crashing onto the boardwalk as Hurricane Sandy intensifies in Ocean City, MarylandReuters 
Incoming waves from the Atlantic Ocean break over the boardwalk as Hurricane Sandy intensifies in Ocean City, MarylandReuters 
NASA handout image of Hurricane SandyReuters/NASA Handout 
Hurricane Sandy is pictured off the east coast of the United States in this NASA handout satellite imageReuters/NASA Handout
Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the U.S. on Monday forcing trasnportation, business establishments, educational institutions and stock market to shut down and thousands of people escape to the higher grounds as more devastating storm is expected on Monday evening.
Forcasters have warned that the monster storm could paralyse the lives of millions of people in over half-a-dozen states; and it is expected to cause heavy flood, damage buildings and power cuts.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that the storm had strengthened and moving at 18 miles per hour (30 km per hour) as it turned toward the coast and could bring a "life-threatening storm surge".
Hurricane Sandy killed 66 people in the Caribbean last week.
President Barack Obama canceled election campaign in Florida on Monday to monitor government's response to the hurricane though the elections are round the corner.
"This is a serious and big storm," Reuters quoted Obama as saying on Sunday after a briefing at the federal government's storm response center in Washington. "We don't yet know where it's going to hit, where we're going to see the biggest impacts."
"There will undoubtedly be some deaths that are caused by the intensity of this storm, by the floods, by the tidal surge, by the waves. The more responsibly citizens act, the fewer people will die," Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley told reporters.
Several states in U.S. like Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia have declared a state of emergency.
While Sandy does not pack the punch of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in 2005, it could become more potent as it approaches the U.S. coast. Winds were at a maximum of 90 mph, the NHC said in its 11 a.m. (1500 GMT) report, up from 75 mph nine hours earlier. It said tropical storm-force winds reached as far as 485 miles from the center, Reported Reuters.
Officials have ordered people in coastal towns and low-lying areas to evacuate madatorily or stay back at their own risk. (With Inputs from Reuters)
