紐約持續從“超級颶風”災後復甦

Many New Yorkers Saturday are still without criticAl resources, including power, heat and food, in the wake of the devastation caused by "superstorm" Sandy that thrashed the U.S. East Coast.

Some New Yorkers were surprised that Mayor Michael Bloomberg had initially given the go-ahead for Sunday's New York Marathon, when so many of the city's residents are in dire need. Bloomberg reversed his decision Friday, saying he did not want a "cloud" to hang over the race or its participants.

A New York newspaper says it discovered race officials were hoarding supplies for the race that could have been used for Sandy's victims.

The New York Post said among the resources stashed away were 41 power generators that could have provided electricity for homes, hundreds of portable toilets, pallets of water and dozens of coffee brewers.

Mayor Bloomberg compared having the race to the 2001 Marathon after the September 11 terror attack on the World Trade Center. But, that race came two months after the attack. Sandy struck the city less than a week ago.

Preliminary estimates have put the total cost of the storm for the east coast at between $20 billion and $50 billion. And each day businesses remain closed reduces the region's economic output by about $200 million.

Although affected parts of the U.S. East Coast are trying to get back to business as usual, many challenges remain.

Many transit systems are still operating on limited schedules, and many gas stations are not able to operate because they still do not have power. A report in New Jersey's Bergen Record newspaper says it could be a month or more before train service to New York is fully restored.

The American Automobile Association ((a nationwide motor club)) says about 60 percent of gas stations in New Jersey and about 70 percent of those on New York's Long Island are closed.就在桑迪超級颶風重創美國東岸地區之後，許多紐約市民星期六仍然沒有電，沒有暖氣，也缺乏食物。一些紐約市民感到吃驚的是，彭博市長在許多紐約居民現在處於迫切需要時刻，卻仍然決定按原計劃舉辦星期日的紐約馬拉松比賽。不過，彭博星期五改變了他最初的決定。

紐約郵報報導說，他們發現馬拉松比賽的官員爲這次比賽囤積了一批物資，而這些物資本來可以用來援助這次風災的災民。

紐約郵報指出，在囤積的物資當中包括41個發電機。這些發電機可以用來爲一些住宅發電。另外還有幾百個臨時廁所，飲用水等等。

彭博市長將這次馬拉松比賽同2001年9月11日紐約世貿中心遭受恐怖攻擊之後舉辦的馬拉松比賽相比。但是2001年的紐約馬拉松比賽是在恐怖襲擊發生了兩個月之後舉行的，而這次馬拉松比賽距離桑迪颶風橫掃紐約地區不到一個星期。

據初步估計，桑迪颶風對美國東岸造成的損失在200億美元到500億美元之間。而企業每關閉一天，就爲這個地區帶來大約2億美元的經濟損失。

儘管美國東岸受災地區設法恢復正常，它們仍然面臨許多挑戰。

許多地鐵系統仍然在有限運作。一些油站因爲缺乏電力供應而無法提供加油服務。新澤西州“卑爾根紀錄報”的報導說，火車客運和貨運的服務可能要一個月或者更長的時間才能全面恢復正常。

美國汽車協會說，新澤西州百分之60的油站，紐約長島地區的百分之70油站仍然關閉。

美國政府星期五表示，國防部將專門爲災區購買2千2百萬加侖的汽油運送到這些地區，緩解燃油短缺的問題。

美國政府也表示，允許外國船隻協助將燃油從美國的一個港口運往另外一個港口。這種做法在正常情況下是不合法的。