Superstorm Sandy leaves trail of destruction along US east coast - in pictures

A man walks by the remains of part of the historic Rockaway boardwalk in Brooklyn, New York, after large parts of it were washed away Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A bench in front of wrecked houses in the Breezy Point area of Queens, New York Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Members of the New Jersey National Guard inspect a beach house on Long Beach Island, New Jersey Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

The foundations of a home in Amity Harbor, New York Photograph: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

A boy looks at his grandfather's crushed car as he helps to salvage belongings from his grandparents' home in Babylon Village, New York Photograph: Jason DeCrow/AP

A boy takes a picture of a jetski stuck on a fence on Long Beach Island, New Jersey Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

An aerial photo of Breezy Point where more than 50 homes were burned to the ground Photograph: Mark Lennihan/AP

Waves crash over the remains of a boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA

Cars sit under debris at the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough Photograph: Keith Bedford/Reuters

A man removes belongings from his father's beachfront home, in Coney Island's Sea Gate community in New York Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP

A man takes a picture of the John B Caddell, a 700-ton tanker that washed up on the shore of Staten Island in New York Photograph: MEHDI TAAMALLAH/AFP/Getty Images

Downed power lines and a battered road off the flooded Seaside Heights island Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP

Aerial views of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy along the New Jersey coast Photograph: Us Air Force/EPA

A second-floor closet is exposed in a beachfront house in Coney Island's Sea Gate community Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP

Residents walk on a street covered in beach sand Photograph: Mike Stobe/Getty Images

A damaged house in Atlantique on Fire Island, New York Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

Boats cluster together at a marina in Brant Beach, on Long Beach Island Photograph: Clem Murray/AP

Sections of the old boardwalk are destroyed by flooding Photograph: Mike Stobe/Getty Images

A steel reinforcement is ripped from a metal sea wall near destroyed beachfront homes in Coney Island's Sea Gate community Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP