Superstorm Sandy - Long Island, New York. Submitted by James Copland

Millions of people continue to be affected by Superstorm Sandy, including James Copland, who moved to New York from Norwich about 10 years ago and founded the New York Canaries.

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He lives on Long Island, about 50 miles from Manhattan, and commutes to work daily.

The 36-year-old said: “I’m currently still at home. We have no power and the roads are blocked with power lines and trees. Likely won’t be able to travel in to Manhattan until Monday.

“Trains expected to take days to get running. My company is closed for the rest of the week. Hardly any shops or restaurants open anywhere. This morning I queued up for 30 minutes just to get coffee at 7-11.”

Meanwhile, Justin Koplin, 39, who is chairman of the New York Canaries supporters’ club, lives on the upper west side of Manhattan.

He has three daughters aged eight, six and two, and said last night that the oldest ones were worried before the storm hit.

He said: “But they were reassured that we had flashlights, food and water.”

The children were not allowed to watch too much television and were not shown the crane collapsing on 57th Street.

Mr Koplin said tonight: “Things in my neck of the woods are okay. Lots of trees are down but as we are living on the Upper West Side (high elevation) we didn’t have the flooding like much of lower Manhattan.

“Schools are closed tomorrow and Mass Transit is still shut down for the most part.

“There are big trees down on the sidestreets and the parks are an absolute mess.

“But NYC is resilient and restaurants are creeping open here and there. Other areas got hit worse such as New Jersey.

“For those in lower Manhattan, it’s been said they will have power within four days. But those outer boroughs where the power lines are above ground as opposed to underground, it could take seven to 10 days or more.”

As reported, nearly 60 staff and students from Norwich School, based in Cathedral Close, face an uncertain return to the UK after their travel plans were disrupted by Sandy.

Lara Pechard, from the Norwich School, said tonight: “We are still in DC for a second extra night. The situation in DC is much improved weather-wise but all federal buildings, museums and galleries remain closed.

“The pupils have managed to walk around today and get to some shops. This has helped the mood and the economy.

“However we have missed our Broadway show, visit to the United Nations and the Empire State. If we can leave for New York tomorrow we will have a day and a half in the Big Apple. They would quite like the plane to be delayed by a day in order to fit everything in.

“Mood still positive and upbeat if masking some frustration.”

As reported, the category one storm landed on the US east coast last night, with mass evacuations ordered, a state of emergency declared in the nine states expected to be hit and millions of people affected.

Do you have a story about friends or family caught up in the Hurricane? Call reporter David Bale on 01603 772427, email david.bale2@archant.co.uk

Visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk for regular updates.