New York faces second superstorm battering as Sandy deaths reach 111

Millions of Americans battered by Superstorm Sandy were today preparing for another deadly storm.

Winds of 60mph, four inches of rain and freezing temperatures are forecast for presidential election day tomorrow, with flooding and further damage feared from uprooted trees and other debris blowing around in areas where Sandy left death and devastation.

The forecast came as the number killed rose to 111 with the death of a 71-year-old man from hypothermia in his New Jersey home.

Up to 40,000 people in New York will need to be rehoused in the wake of Sandy, which struck a week ago, and families are being warned that the lack of power and plummeting temperatures make it dangerous to stay in their unheated, damaged homes.

New York State governor Andrew Cuomo said the “massive” housing problem could take months to resolve.

However, an immediate concern is a shortage of fuel for cars. Petrol is rationed and drivers are queuing for 15 hours, with fights breaking out when people try to queue-jump.

More than 2.2 million people have been left without power across several states, and the total cost of the clean-up is expected to top £31 billion.

The predicted storm coming in on north-easterly winds could not arrive at a worse time. Sandy destroyed many sea defences, and even more homes could be lost in vulnerable areas.

On Staten Island, resident John Ambroso, 23, said: “It’s scary. Look at all the bodies they are pulling out of the wreckage. I don’t want to be among them for the next storm. We are leaving right away.”

As temperatures fell to -2C yesterday, New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it was “increasingly clear” residents could not remain in their homes with no heat and no power.

He admitted relief work was “a challenge” but pledged: “We are not going to let anybody go sleeping in the streets or go without blankets... we’re working on that as fast as we can.”

About 80 per cent of the New York subway was open today but commuters were warned service would be patchy, while the port reopened and fuel deliveries were arriving.