Flood waters from Hurricane Sandy cover a parking lot on October 30, 2012 in Toms River, New Jersey. The storm has claimed at least 40 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. PHOTO | MARIO TAMA | GETTY IMAGES | AFP