Sandy, the most devastating storm to hit the US in decades, killed nearly 50 people as it struck densely populated US East coast region leaving a trail of destruction and millions of water-logged homes in darkness.

The storm hit the East coast region spanning the Eastern Seaboard from North Carolina to Connecticut, cutting off communication and leaving millions of people shivering without power as thousands were evacuated from flooded neighbourhoods. Among the US states hit by the megastorm, New York and New Jersey bore the brunt of the disaster. In New York, where 18 people died, the New York Stock Exchange was shut for two straight days for the first time since 1888.

See our slideshow on the rescue work on after Sandy's destruction.