Barack Obama has warned Americans to take Hurricane Sandy seriously as authorities started shutting down the eastern seaboard ahead of its arrival.
 
Several states have declared emergencies, with tens of millions of people affected as schools are closed and transport services suspended.
Experts fear Sandy may become a super-storm when it makes landfall later.
Some election rallies have been called off, with Mr Obama warning affected citizens to hunker down.
 
International travel has been badly affected. Air France, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic grounded Monday's transatlantic flights to and from East Coast cities, including New York, Baltimore, Newark, Washington, Boston and Philadelphia.
Full moon
 
At 02:00 EDT (06:00 GMT), the storm was turning north, its eye swirling about 425 miles (760km) south-east of New York City, according to the National Hurricane Center.



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