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As Recovery Continues, City’s Death Toll Reaches 38 As Recovery Continues, City’s Death Toll Reaches 38
(about 1 hour later)
The number of New York City fatalities from Hurricane Sandy jumped to 38 on Thursday, including two young boys who were swept from the arms of their mother on Staten Island and found dead at the swampy end of a street, the police said.The number of New York City fatalities from Hurricane Sandy jumped to 38 on Thursday, including two young boys who were swept from the arms of their mother on Staten Island and found dead at the swampy end of a street, the police said.
The mother, Glenda Moore, told the police that her sons, Connor, 4, and Brandon, 2, were swept away on Monday shortly after 6 p.m., as the storm arrived. The mother and children had been leaving Staten Island, heading for Brooklyn, as their car was disabled by water, the police said. Ms. Moore, 39, got out of her car with her two sons, near Father Capodanno Boulevard, when a surge of water caused her to lose grip of her children, the police said. The mother, Glenda Moore, told the police that her sons, Connor, 4, and Brandon, 2, were swept away on Monday shortly after 6 p.m. as the storm arrived. The mother and children had been leaving Staten Island, heading for Brooklyn, as their car was disabled by water, the police said. Ms. Moore, 39, got out of her car with her two sons, near Father Capodanno Boulevard, when a surge of water caused her to lose grip of her children, the police said.
The two children were found at the end of McLaughlin Street, said Paul J. Browne, the chief spokesman for the New York Police Department.The two children were found at the end of McLaughlin Street, said Paul J. Browne, the chief spokesman for the New York Police Department.
“We just brought the parents into a trailer for the awful duty of identifying their little ones,” Mr. Browne wrote in an e-mail.“We just brought the parents into a trailer for the awful duty of identifying their little ones,” Mr. Browne wrote in an e-mail.
The grim discovery was made as New York City, and areas in more than half a dozen states, pressed on with efforts to make a full accounting of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy. The extent of the storm’s destructive force was reflected in government briefings that addressed a sweeping range of loss that included the human toll, power failures, homes sucked into the ocean, ruined businesses, and broken infrastructure and housing that put millions of people out of work and shelter. The grim discovery was made as New York City and areas in more than half a dozen states pressed on with efforts to make a full accounting of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy. The extent of the storm’s destructive force was reflected in government briefings that addressed a sweeping range of loss that included the human toll, power failures, homes sucked into the ocean, ruined businesses, and broken infrastructure and housing that put millions of people out of work and shelter.
The storm was blamed for more than 80 deaths in the United States, including the 38 in New York City that was announced on Thursday, updating Wednesday’s toll of 24 dead. In the region, there were at least 8 in New Jersey and 4 in Connecticut, and numbers are expected to climb as rescue crews discover the full scale of the damage to buildings and infrastructure. The storm was blamed for more than 80 deaths in the United States, including the 38 in New York City that was announced on Thursday, updating the toll of 24 given on Wednesday. In the region, there were at least 8 in New Jersey and 4 in Connecticut, and numbers are expected to climb as rescue crews uncover the full scale of the damage to buildings and infrastructure. In New York City, the police said 19 victims were from Staten Island, 9 from Queens, 7 from Brooklyn and 3 in Manhattan.
The city medical examiner’s office knew of 34 deaths. Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the office, said that 17 victims were from Staten Island,  8 from Queens, 7 from Brooklyn and 2 in Manhattan. Three days after the storm hit New York, it is becoming clear how most victims died. “The majority of them drowned,” said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office.
In addition to the two boys, an elderly couple, previously reported missing, were also found dead on Thursday in their car on Staten Island. Previously reported deaths included a woman electrocuted as she walked in Queens and numerous people killed by falling trees. But as rescue crews searched the eastern edge of Staten Island on Thursday, particularly in and around the Midland Beach neighborhood, they discovered numerous drowning victims.
Three days after the storm hit New York, it is becoming clear how most victims died. “The majority of them drowned,” Ms. Borakove said. On Thursday, an elderly couple were found dead in their car on Staten Island.
Previous reported deaths included a woman electrocuted as she walked in Queens and numerous people killed by falling trees. But as rescue crews are searching the eastern edge of Staten Island on Thursday, particularly in and around the Midland Beach neighborhood, they are finding numerous drowning victims, many of them elderly. In a briefing on Thursday, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced that parks and playgrounds would reopen on Saturday, and public schools on Monday. He said the city would distribute meals and water around the city, including at sites in the Rockaways, Coney Island and parts of Staten Island, on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, subways, railroads and buses started to roll again, cars jockeyed for passengers, and even air travel eased slightly. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced parks and playgrounds would reopen by 8 a.m. on Saturday, and public school classes would resume on Monday. He also said the city would start distributing meals and water at centers around the city, including sites in the Rockaways, Coney Island, and parts of Staten Island, beginning at 3 p.m. on Thursday. “New York is starting to build again,” he said.
“New York is starting to build again,” he said at a news briefing. People still coped with the loss of everyday essentials — elevators, lights, cellphone service, Wi-Fi, refrigeration, hot showers.
The return of some transportation services was cautiously welcomed, even as commuters and residents still had to negotiate crawling traffic, half-mile lines at suburban gas stations and city buses stuffed beyond capacity. But the return of some transportation services was cautiously welcomed, even as commuters and residents still had to negotiate crawling traffic, half-mile lines at suburban gas stations and city buses stuffed beyond capacity.
Subway service resumed on more than half of the city’s 23 lines, but several — the No. 3 and 7 trains and the B, C, E, G and Q trains — remained dark. Many trains will have large gaps in their routes, including the No. 4 train, which will have no service between 42nd Street in Manhattan and Borough Hall in Brooklyn because of flooding in its tunnel beneath the East River and power problems. Subways and buses will be free for the rest of the week.Subway service resumed on more than half of the city’s 23 lines, but several — the No. 3 and 7 trains and the B, C, E, G and Q trains — remained dark. Many trains will have large gaps in their routes, including the No. 4 train, which will have no service between 42nd Street in Manhattan and Borough Hall in Brooklyn because of flooding in its tunnel beneath the East River and power problems. Subways and buses will be free for the rest of the week.
Service between the boroughs is by shuttle bus, with departures from the transportation hub at the Barclays Center and from Hewes Street on the border of Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. On Thursday, pent-up demand meant crowds of commuters tried to get aboard, with the line stretching for blocks at times. Shuttle buses are linking the boroughs from the transportation hub at the Barclays Center and from Hewes Street on the border of Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. Vehicle traffic on city streets was exceptionally heavy as drivers tried to make it into Manhattan before 6 a.m., when the city required at least three people in cars entering Manhattan over the Robert F. Kennedy, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges, but not the George Washington Bridge.
Vehicle traffic on city streets was exceptionally heavy as drivers tried to make it into Manhattan before 6 a.m., when the city required at least three people in cars entering Manhattan over the Robert F. Kennedy, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges, but not the George Washington Bridge. While traffic had cleared up in some areas, much of the region’s arterial system remained a parking lot well past the typical morning commute.
While traffic had cleared up in some areas, much of the region’s arterial system remained a parking lot well past the typical morning commute, with some drivers in passenger cars saying their trips took several hours longer than usual.
Police checkpoints set up in many places to enforce the high-occupancy-vehicle rule were so rigorous that they seemed to have the unintended effect of clogging up traffic flow even more, with lines of cars stretching from the Brooklyn Bridge to Staten Island.Police checkpoints set up in many places to enforce the high-occupancy-vehicle rule were so rigorous that they seemed to have the unintended effect of clogging up traffic flow even more, with lines of cars stretching from the Brooklyn Bridge to Staten Island.
But it could be easier to get a view from 30,000 feet on Thursday as air travel eased a little bit more with the reopening of La Guardia Airport, which had been shut down because of severe flooding. Some flights resumed Wednesday at Kennedy International and Newark Liberty Airports, though they were operating well below their usual volume. But it could be easier to get a view from 30,000 feet on Thursday as air travel eased. La Guardia Airport, which had been shut down because of flooding, reopened. Some flights resumed on Wednesday at Kennedy International and Newark Liberty International Airports.
Some service was also restored Thursday on the Air Train to Kennedy Airport, which connects the subway and train complex in Jamaica, Queens, to the airport. Long Island Rail Road trains are still down, but there is some subway service to Jamaica. Some service was also restored on the AirTrain to Kennedy Airport, which connects the subway and train complex in Jamaica, Queens, to the airport. Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road had limited service to New York’s northern and eastern suburbs.
Still, navigating transportation on the streets seemed to require the most diplomacy and luck as commuters adjusted to new rhythms of supply and demand.Still, navigating transportation on the streets seemed to require the most diplomacy and luck as commuters adjusted to new rhythms of supply and demand.
The mayor had lifted the three-occupant limit for taxis and livery cars coming into Manhattan around 8:15 a.m. But even before that, some commuters attempted cab sharing, the delicate art of piling into a yellow taxi with strangers, which some cabdrivers declined to accommodate. At a red light at 86th Street and Broadway, one man approached several cabs that already had passengers, and the drivers refused to open their doors. Finally, one cabby rolled down his window. There were three passengers already in the back, but the man persuaded the driver to let him sit in the front passenger seat. The mayor had lifted the three-occupant limit for taxis and livery cars coming into Manhattan around 8:15 a.m. But even before that, some commuters attempted cab sharing, the delicate art of piling into a yellow taxi with strangers, which some cabdrivers declined to accommodate. A popular mode of transportation in Lower Manhattan — still dark from the loss of power — appeared to be bicycles.
In Midtown, congestion was spotty but an improvement from Wednesday. Before the sun came up, the main mode of transportation in Lower Manhattan — still dark from the loss of power — appeared to be bicycles. There was limited ferry service in the East River, and the Staten Island Ferry should start plying the waterways within the next day or so, with a full schedule expected on Saturday.
Ferry service drifted back. There was limited service in the East River, and the Staten Island Ferry should start plying the waterways within the next day or so, with a full schedule expected on Saturday.
Attesting to the scale of the recovery, more than 3.75 million people were hit by power failures from the storm, which made landfall on Monday night but was preceded by punishing winds, storm surges and torrential rain.Attesting to the scale of the recovery, more than 3.75 million people were hit by power failures from the storm, which made landfall on Monday night but was preceded by punishing winds, storm surges and torrential rain.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in a Twitter message that as of 9 a.m. Thursday more than 1.58 million New Yorkers were without electricity, including more than 600,000 in the New York City area and more than 700,000 on Long Island. Consolidated Edison said Thursday it had restored power to more than 225,000 customers since the storm ended. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in a Twitter message that as of 9 a.m. Thursday, more than 1.58 million New Yorkers were without electricity, including more than 600,000 in the New York City area and more than 700,000 on Long Island. Consolidated Edison said Thursday that it had restored power to more than 225,000 customers since the storm ended.
There was also more bad news for residents who receive electricity through overhead lines: Consolidated Edison did not expect to restore power to all those customers until the end of next week. The utility has said that power for customers whose lines are underground will be restored sooner, and within the next few days in the case of Lower Manhattan, according to Mr. Bloomberg. There was also more bad news for residents who receive electricity through overhead lines: Con Ed did not expect to restore power to all those customers until the end of next week. The utility has said that power for customers whose lines are underground will be restored sooner, and within the next few days in the case of Lower Manhattan, according to Mr. Bloomberg.
On the Long Island Rail Road, shuttle service was available between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal from 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The transportation authority said it was cautiously optimistic about restoring service from Jamaica to Pennsylvania Station on Thursday. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said Tuesday that he expected PATH trains to be unavailable for at least 7 to 10 days.
On the Metro-North Railroad, the New Haven line was expected to resume service on a nearly normal schedule from Stamford, Conn., to Manhattan. The Harlem line was scheduled to run from Mount Kisco to New York City. Service on the Hudson line remained suspended, as did most service for New Jersey Transit’s rail operations. Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that he expected PATH trains to be unavailable for at least 7 to 10 days. Work on the seven flooded tunnels beneath the East River caused delays. The Brooklyn-Battery, Queens-Midtown and Holland Tunnels remain closed.
Subway riders should expect delays because of work on the seven tunnels beneath the East River that were flooded. The Brooklyn-Battery, Queens-Midtown and Holland Tunnels remain closed.
Even where partial services were restored, for most people there remained the slog of coping. The loss of everyday essentials — elevators, lights, cellphone service, Wi-Fi, refrigeration, hot showers — created conditions of subacute stress around the city. Mr. Bloomberg said AT&T “pods”, basically mobile trucks, would be stationed near food distribution centers to provide service and charging. Shelters would be closed to about 15 remaining.

Reporting was contributed by James Barron, Matt Flegenheimer, Michael M. Grynbaum, John Leland, Robert Mackey, Andy Newman, Nate Schweber and Stacey Stowe.

Reporting was contributed by James Barron, Matt Flegenheimer, Michael M. Grynbaum, John Leland, Robert Mackey, Andy Newman, Nate Schweber and Stacey Stowe.