Lower Manhattan goes dark during hurricane Sandy, on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, as seen from Brooklyn, N.Y. Sandy continued on its path Monday, as the storm forced the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

A woman who moved to Norwich from New York has breathed a sigh of relief after hearing from her mother who was earlier cut off in a call in mid conversation.

Kate Heley, 32, from Lakenham, was raised in New York, but has lived in Norfolk since 2000 and works as a teacher at Loddon Junior School.

She was relieved when her mother, Ronnye Halpern, who lives on Roosevelt Island, just off Manhattan, contacted her after the hurricane hit but they were then cut off.

She said: “My mother called me just after 8am to say I’m glad I’ve caught you but the power went. I’m not sure if she’s in the part that’s lost power of if they’ve taken power from.

“She’s up high - on the seventh floor. I think if I know my mum she was calling me to say that the storm was really bad but she’s okay. I’ve tried calling New York but the lines are all busy. I’m hoping no news is good news. I will just keep trying a lot of my friends.”

However she has since been able to get in contact with her mother again. She said: “Have been in contact with my mum. Phones still out in most places but she managed to find some open wifi. She’s fine, but a flood in her building basement has caused part of the power grid to cut out. FDNY is supposed to come to sort it, but they are not high priority. Verizon (phone providers, bit like BT) Is reporting large scale outages.”

Roosevelt Island is not in the evacuation zone and is connected to Manhattan by a bridge although the subway and tramway which also connects island to Manhattan have been closed down.