The east coast of the United States is bracing for impact from Hurricane Sandy. New York City has evacuated thousands of people from low-lying areas, transportation systems are being shut down, flights into and out of the region are being cancelled, and just about everyone, from the president to the local communities, is saying to residents, “Get the hell out or get ready.”
In a poignant, powerful Public Information Statement this afternoon, the National Weather Service in New Jersey is begging that people heed warnings, and evacuate if they are asked to. They write, “If you are reluctant [to evacuate], think about your loved ones, think about the emergency responders who will be unable to reach you when you make the panicked phone call to be rescued, think about the rescue/recovery teams who will rescue you if you are injured or recover your remains if you do not survive.”
Weather Underground has all the details on the storm, including state-by-state updates.
Update: NBC is live-blogging the storm.
FYI all DC transit services are already shut down: last run for nearly every system was last night. That’s DC Metro, MARC, VRE and Amtrak in the area and every public bus system. US federal government offices are closed; public schools are closed, and most public systems are unavailable to the public.
I am in SW Ohio, and we can feel the wind here. It is cold, windy, and wet. This is going to be a bad one. Sandy go away!