A vehicle is submerged on 14th Street near the Consolidated Edison power plant, in New York. Sandy knocked out power to at least 3.1 million people, and New York's main utility said large sections of Manhattan had been plunged into darkness by the storm, with 250,000 customers without power as water pressed into the island from three sides, flooding rail yards, subway tracks, tunnels and roads. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

A Norfolk businessman is desperately trying to get his wife and daughter home from storm-struck New York City after America’s eastern seaboard was battered by wild weather.

Paul Landers said the pair’s pre-Christmas shopping trip had turned into a “nightmare” after their Monday morning flight back to the UK was cancelled and he is now urgently trying to find them a way home.

Mr Landers, who works in the oil business and has an office in Great Yarmouth, said his wife Claire, 42, and daughter Krista, 14, had been holed up in their hotel - just a street away from the crane that collapsed in 95mph winds - since the storm hit.

“They’re stuck in the hotel in their room on the 43rd floor and with the power cuts going on they’re not allowed to use the lift. They had a lovely weekend but it’s turned into a nightmare,” he added.

Mr Landers said the earliest flight home they had been offered was a week away and he was now trying to find alternatives to get them back to the UK.

He added: “The earliest we can get them back is the 5th of November unless they get a flight possibly tomorrow (Wednesday) night from New York to LA, then spend a day in LA and fly back from there.

“I’m looking at getting them away from New York and get them on a train to Boston.”

Hurricane Sandy hit land yesterday and has so far killed 13 people in the US and claimed at least 69 lives in the Caribbean.