Falling temps add to urgency of Sandy recovery

Volunteers organize supplies donated to New York City Firefighter David Gulford's Hurricane Sandy "Rockaway Relief" charity drive on November 3, 2012, New York, N.Y., for shipment to one of the communities hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy. / Anthony Behar/Sipa via AP Images

Last Updated 11:45 a.m. ET

NEW YORK Falling temperatures on Sunday put more people at risk in a region already battling gasoline shortages, stubborn power outages and spasms of lawlessness in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

With overnight temperatures in the 30s and nearly a million people still without power in the area, New York City opened warming shelters in areas without power and Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged older residents without heat to move to them. The city also was handing out 25,000 blankets to residents who insist on staying in powerless homes.

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Fixing NYC's subway after Sandy

"So please," Bloomberg said, "I know sometimes people are reticent to take advantage of services. The cold really is something that is dangerous."

On Sunday morning New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said cold temperatures will leave "tens of thousands" of people whose homes have been damaged by Sandy needing other places to live.

He said "it's going to become increasingly clear" that homes without heat are uninhabitable as temperatures drop. He said that means that residents who have been reluctant to leave their homes will have to, and that they'll need housing.

Bloomberg said the city expects that it will have to find housing for 30,000 to 40,000 people.

He also said that resolving gas shortages could take days.

The storm killed more than 100 people in 10 states, including 41 in New York City. More than 2.2 million customers in several states remain without power days after Sandy came ashore.

About 875,000 still don't have electricity in the New York metropolitan area, including about 460,000 on Long Island.

• Lights in lower Manhattan, misery in outer regions
• A state-by-state look at superstorm's effects
• Power returning after Sandy, but weariness grows
• NYC mayor: Gas shortages could go on a few days

Lines curled around gas stations for many blocks all over the stricken region, including northern New Jersey, where Gov. Chris Christie imposed rationing that recalled the worst days of fuel shortages of the 1970s. Queues of honking cars, frustrated drivers and people on foot carrying containers were just the latest testament to the misery unleashed by Sandy.

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Jersey shore communities frozen in time by Sandy

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Good Samaritans bring relief to Staten Island

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New Jersey gets new rules for filling up on gas

"I spoke with many people who were worried and frustrated and cold," Bloomberg said after a visit to the Rockaways in Queens. "There is no power there and temperatures are dropping. Even those who have generators are having a hard time getting fuel."

"It's chaos; it's pandemonium out here," said Chris Damon, who had been waiting for 3 ? hours at a site where the National Guard was giving out free gas in an effort to alleviate the situation. "It seems like nobody has any answers."

After at least 10 arrests for line jumping on Friday, the police presence at stations with gas lines was increased Saturday. Still, there was one arrest for disorderly conduct at the armory in Brooklyn, where free gasoline was being distributed.

With fuel deliveries cut off by storm damage and many metropolitan-area gas stations lacking the electricity needed to operate their pumps, drivers waited in line for hours for a chance at a fill-up, snapping at each other and honking their horns in frustration.

At a gas station in Mount Vernon, N.Y., north of New York City, 62 cars were lined up around the block Sunday morning even though it was closed and had no fuel.

"I heard they might be getting a delivery. So I came here and I'm waiting," said the first driver in line, Earl Tuck. He had been there at least two hours by 9 a.m., and there was no delivery truck in sight. But he said he would stick it out.

The cashier at the station, Ahmed Nawaz, said he wasn't sure when the pumps might be running again. "We are expecting a delivery. But yesterday we weren't expecting one, and we got one. So I don't know," he said.

Bloomberg said that resolving the gas shortages could take days. Across northern New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie imposed odd-even gas rationing that recalled the gasoline crisis of the 1970s.

Transit Updates

About 80 percent of New York City's subway service has been restored.

The Long Island Rail Road - which yesterday said it is only able to use two of the four East River tunnels due to flooding - will operate a modified schedule on all branches except the Long Beach branch on Monday. Trains on the Ronkonkoma Branch will not operate east of Ronkonkoma, and trains on the Montauk Branch will not operate east of Speonk.

NY Waterway plans to operate normal ferry/bus service, including service from the Hoboken Rail/Ferry Terminal, starting at 6 a.m. Monday.

There will be no service from Jersey City's Port Liberte terminal, which was damaged severely by Sandy.

Regular weekend service continues Sunday from 8 a.m. until 1:10 a.m. between Port Imperial in Weehawken, N.J., and West 39th Street in Manhattan. It includes free connecting bus service. Ferries also will operate on a normal weekend schedule between Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken, 14th Street in Hoboken and West 39th Street.

• Dangling NYC high-rise crane boom now tethered
• "What can I do?": New Yorkers seek ways to help
• Sandy: Most NYC schools to open Monday

Running For Sandy Victims

New York City's parks also reopened Saturday, and with Sunday's marathon canceled, many of the runners who had come to town for the race worked out their frustrations with a jog through Central Park.

"A lot of people just want to finish what they've started," said Lance Svendsen, organizer of a group called Run Anyway.

Some of those who were planning to run the 26.2-mile race through the city streets instead headed to hard-hit Staten Island to help storm victims. A Facebook page invited runners to meet Sunday in the park and encouraged marathoners to bring food, clothes or money to donate to storm victims.

To help victims of Sandy, donations to the American Red Cross can be made by visiting Red Cross disaster relief, or you can text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

[CBSknows]

"OUT OF THE BOX NATURAL DISASTER ZONES RELOCATION IDEA"

I SUGGESTED THIS IDEA THE LAST TIME THIS TYPE OF DISASTER HIT AMERICA AND I WILL SUGGEST THIS IDEA AGAIN ! ! ! BECAUSE IT IS A NO-BRAINER THAT THESE TYPE OF NATURAL DISASTERS ARE NOT GOING AWAY..EVER ! ! !

1. Don't Rebuild homes in these natural disaster hot spots until the Insurance Companies Give the homeowner the opportunity to relocate to another town or state that has a surplus of unsold or bank owned homes.

2. Pay the homeowner moving expenses to move to these homes.

3. These homes will be updated for energy efficiency prior to move.

4. These homes would be bigger and or better than the home that was destroyed.

This Special RELOCATE TO A SAFER PLACE TO LIVE Program could have rebates to the homeowner as well as to the Insurance Companies.

Of course not everyone could or would take advantage of this Program but just think about how much money it would save in the long run if only a few people took advantage of this Program..MILLIONS or Billions of Dollars could be saved because when (not if) the next Natural Disaster happened again this these hot spots there would be a few less homes to rebuild..A FEW LESS DOLLARS the Insurance Companies would have to pay out.

THIS WOULD TRANSLATE INTO SAVINGS FOR ALL OF US ! !

Just a COMMON SENSE IDEA ! ! ! This plan would also put more Americans Back To Work upgrading these homes & the Products that would be used in these updated homes would have to be "MADE IN THE USA ONLY"

Again a WIN WIN COMMON SENSE IDEA FOR AMERICA ! !

[HistoryNote]

So.. we just give up our careers, literally pack-up the house-n-family and drag it all to say... Indiana/Illinois/Iowa? Just so the insurance companies can save a few bucks? Not to be a nudge, but there isn't much coastline in the Midwest - so that leaves out any career (think fishing) that is coastal dependant. The majority of the acreage is farmland (and farmer's don't sell), so that leaves out any career in the real-estate industry. It' the Midwest, so that leaves out the fashion industry, and the boutique shops. Aside from a few mid-sized cities, it's mostly rural, so that leaves out the need for society-page-types, and taxi service, and the cross-town courier business. Most of the folks have roots that go back many generations, so that puts a kibosh on the need for lawsuits and lawyers. Even if you are in the seed or tractor business, there's little demand for marketing executives. In every rural center(think crossroads), there's usually one bank that serves one snowmobile/car/truck/farm-implement/hardware/supply dealer. There's one convenience store, and one insurance/lawyer/real-estate/notary-public/post-office. There's most likely a small park with a flag pole and a WWI or WWII artillery piece stationed next to the flag pole.

On the other hand, if you can bake a good rhubarb-n-strawberry pie, and serve up a hearty home-made thick soup (think fork), you might could make a go of it. There aren't enough family-owned restaurants, most of them are brand-name chains.

As with most small rural Midwest towns, the big issues are raised by the local school board or the local historical society. It's not a place where you can bring your big ambitions, expecting to conquer anything. There is nothing to conquer. There's nuthing but relentless home-grown life in the Midwest. Anyone... who is anybody, knows everybody. Knew of their grandparents, and their great great grandparents. They know every ones children, which ones won the spelling bees, which ones are on the high-school prom court, which ones won the 4H awards, and which ones can keep a buggy next to a combine at harvest time.

Now, does that sound like something anyone would give up their high-dollar coastal careers for?

[mari1963]

All of these whiney, needy New Yorkers don't deserve the goodness of the volunteers who are helping them. Instead of saying thank you, all they can say is ....more, more, more!

I'm not donating anything to them.

They're ungrateful!

[dinglebury1260]

Keep believing what you hear on false reports.If your house is swept away you wouldnt be singing the same tune. I hope you are not "American", because you sure dont sound like one.Us ungrateful NYers sent crews down during Katrina.

[dinglebury1260]

To clarify a few things in this article. The looting for the most part is non existent. Neighbors are helping eachother in this time of need and we are all assisting eachother as any US citizen would and should. Thank you

[gbgq]

oh well.
karma is truly a *****. why should i donate to the new yorkers who have been so rude to me each time i have visited. you would think that after 9/11 people living there have become more friendlier. well, i take that back, they were nice for about a month and then attitudes came back strong once their free handouts were depleted.

besides...arent there enough millionaires or even billionaires living there to help themselves and thier fellow citizens out?

im not bitter...just sayin'

[dinglebury1260]

We are not asking for your help. We will make it through just fine regaurdless of what you do.

[mari1963]

Thank you for saying what i have been thinking for the past 11 years. New yorkers are ungrateful and greedy. I say, let them fend for themselves.

I won't be donating a dime to them

And here's a tip....the next time someone tells you there's a hurricane coming - GET OUT!

[Wookiee-1138]

Donation drop off?

$50 says Romney will start denouncing and condemning this obvious unamerican socialist redistribution.

[aubfmet]

For $50 billion they could build a seawall along the Jersey shore, or maybe a $100 billion.

[spekez12]

Where is President Obama? Why isn't he helping the Sandy recovery effort? He is back on the campaign trail, asking for votes to help him not do his job.

[retiredgustav]

Troll!

[Think3Times]

hypnotoad72 replies:

Think3Times - then let's stop giving corporate welfare in return to companies that offshore (e.g. Bain Capital) and put it to our own people instead.

You can parrot Romney's meme of 47% all you want, but - like Romney - you forgot "corporations are people too". And corporations get far more than the rest of the 47% combined.
________________________

I can't argue against your point's Hypno, I admit you are far more in depth of this knowledge than me.

I don't go around "parroting".. and I hope you haven't seen me in that light.

I do love to make fun of Romney, though.

[jackbrooklynny]

TRUST ME: BARACK OBAMA DOES NOT GIVE A CRAP ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES! Obama is 100% Politician. Obama knows that N.Y and N.J. will always Vote Democrat... so... Obama took a few Photos on the Jersey Shore, had a helicopter ride and OBAMA FLEW TO LAS VEGAS ON THE SAME DAY! During the last 2 years Obama had done nothing but campaign for re-election.

NY and NJ have NO GAS, NO WATER, NO HEAT, NO FOOD...and Obama went to a $2,500 Fund Raising Dinner with Beyonce and JayZ...In case you were wondering Obama slept very well in the Presidential Suite at the Ritz- Carlton... While you are waiting 8 hours for a few gallons of gas...Obama burnt 32,0000 Gallons of Fuel in Air Force One.. MEANWHILE....NEW YORKERS WILL DRINK SEWER WATER AND EAT OUT OF DUMPSTERS

FLASH! The National Media is NOT airing any of the despair or misery that is happening . Obama Transparency? There is a TOTAL MEDIA BLACKOUT The National Media does not want to show anything that will hurt Obama's chances for re-election.

There is widespread looting, shooting and stabbings in all five boroughs of NYC. People are freezing, drinking contaminated water and scavenging from dumpsters. I guarantee you will not see what is really happening. FEMA says "everything is great". Truth: Government response is poor, ridiculos delays, completely not prepared. We are suffering, Obama is smiling and saying he is responsible. Obama says vote for Revenge. I will, screw you Obama. Jack from Brooklyn, New York. Lifelong Democrat

[forumcomments]

Interesting article from NY Post about dealing with the disaster.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/couldn_take_it_one_lousy_mile_rbF98fD5z4Rnqj0qzDjmvK