In PHOTOS: Catastrophic aftermath of Superstorm Sandy

Millions of Americans woke up to scenes of destruction wrought by Sandy after the powerful storm smashed into the United States east coast, destroying buildings, flooding streets, and cutting power across 15 states. Here's a look at the aftermath of the 'Frankenstorm'. 

Homes devastated by fire and the effects of Hurricane Sandy are seen the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough of New York October. Millions of people across the eastern United States awoke on Tuesday to scenes of destruction wrought by monster storm Sandy, which knocked out power to huge swathes of the nation's most densely populated region, swamped New York's subway system and submerged streets in Manhattan's financial district.

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Debris lie near a house, damaged from the storm surge and winds created by Hurricane Sandy, in the heavily affected community of Atlantique on Fire Island, New York.

Taxis sit in a flooded lot after Hurricane Sandy in Hoboken, New Jersey. The storm has claimed at least 50 lives in the United States and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. US President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the US east coast, including New York City, with widespread power outages and significant flooding in parts of the city. 

A car is crushed under a fallen tree in the Lower East Side in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New York.

A general view from Exchange Place shows the skyline of lower Manhattan in darkness after a preventive power outage caused by giant storm Sandy in New York. Millions of people in the eastern United States awoke on Tuesday to flooded homes, fallen trees and widespread power outages caused by Sandy, which swamped New York City's subway system and submerged streets in Manhattan's financial district.

More than two-thirds of the US east coast's refining capacity was shut down and fuel pipelines idled due to Hurricane Sandy. Early assessments show the region's biggest plants may have escaped without major damage.

Homes are surrounded by floodwaters pushed up by high tide and the storm surge from Hurricane Sandy in Westhampton Beach, New York.

A woman touches a fallen tree in Manhattan's Alphabet City neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

A large section of a damaged boardwalk is seen in the middle of Atlantic Avenue in the north end of the city, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy's landfall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Boats and flotsam rest on the shoreline near Highway 35 after they were washed up from Hurricane Sandy in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey.

Brenda Nasce inspects flood damage inside her home the morning after Hurricane Sandy in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey.

Damage after Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the southern New Jersey coastline is seen in this US Coast Guard handout photo in Brigantine, New Jersey. In the storm's wake, Obama issued federal emergency decrees for New York and New Jersey, declaring that "major disasters" existed in both states. One disaster-forecasting company predicted economic losses could ultimately reach $20 billion, only half insured.

Flood waters entered the Long Island Rail Road's west side yard in this handout photo from the MTA, in New York, October 30, 2012. All trains had been removed from the yard prior to the arrival of the storm.

A view of trees destroyed by heavy snow from Hurricane Sandy on a farm in Garrett County, western Maryland.

Residents use a canoe to paddle through flood waters left from Hurricane Sandy at the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough in New York.

A woman buys a flashlight in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New York. Millions of people were left reeling in the aftermath of the whipping winds and heavy rains of the massive storm Sandy as New York City and many parts of the eastern US struggled with epic flooding and extensive power outages.

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