New York City was paralyzed on Monday, preparing in a surreal calmness to face Hurricane Sandy. The streets were empty and swept away by the rain, and public transportation and tourist attractions were suspended.
New York Stock Exchange will remain closed all day and might be also closed on Tuesday, which has not happened ever since the September 11 terrorist attacks.
No trains, no subway or buses will run in this metropolis of 8.2 million people. Mayor Michael Bloomberg brought everything to a halt to avoid risks and property damage and to ensure that the city will restart in full force as soon as possible after the Hurricane Sandy, expected to arrive by the end of the day.
Millions of people could not go to work, courts and schools were closed and the atmosphere in New York, usually frantic, was amazingly calm on Monday, with only a few taxis, cars and bicycles across the city.
Thousands of tourists were also forced to re-schedule their plans, major attractions like the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building were closed.
Electrical generators, batteries, flashlights, food, water, same preparations as for Hurricane Irene in 2011, New Yorkers have left nothing to chance, fearing power failures and food stocks shortages.
The mayor urged residents to stay in their homes and ordered Sunday the evacuation of 375,000 people from flood areas, but many seemed reluctant to leave. Only 3,000 of them have found refuge on Monday morning, in reception centers at 76 schools in the city. In southern Manhattan, the waters rose in the morning already three feet without causing panic.
At the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 23rd Street, David Blythe, who lives in Brooklyn, came to buy coffee and a banana for breakfast in one of the few cafes open. To make sure he can work, he took a room for several days at the hotel in Manhattan, about ten kilometers away from his home. “I have meetings that I can not miss,” he said.
In the neighboring residential building called “Carolina”, on 23rd Street, all workers were conscripted for three days to ensure security of people. They will not return to their homes.
Albert Mustaj, an attendant, smiles when asked if he is afraid. “Montenegro Wine” he explains. “I’ve seen worse things than that.”
Martha Kowalczyk, aged 27, who was walking the dog on a neighboring street, is just calm. “I come from Indiana, went through tornadoes, there will never be anything like that here”, says the young woman who works in a school and takes advantage of an unexpected day off. “And the building where I live is old, solid,” she adds.
Nick, a Greek aged 40, expected to go home in Queens, but does not know how. When he came to work, he had an unpleasant surprise to discover that the little restaurant where he works is closed. “I hope I can work in the morning, I need to work,” he said, reading a newspaper under an awning.
In southern Manhattan, a floodplain, some restaurants have protected the lower areas of their buildings with sandbags. Others have reinforced windows with wood boards.
“As long as we have electricity, I think I’ll survive,” said Doug Barotra. He bought on Sunday 50 cans of beer and intends to stay home for three days.
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