Hurricane Sandy slammed into the US east coast in late October, causing widespread damage and leaving up to 125 people dead across the US and up to 78 in the Caribbean.

The 'Frankenstorm', as it became known, saw forecasters predicting deadly winds of up to 150km/h and a storm front stretching across twelve states, with the capacity to affect 50 million people.

Sandy was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone before it made landfall in the US on October 29, causing severe damage in New York and New Jersey.

The historic promenade in the seaside town of Jersey Shore was completely destroyed and the usually-bustling city of New York became a ghost town.

Over 150,000 homes in New York and New Jersey were reportedly left without power and there was widespread panic about fuel shortages.

Many residents went for weeks before electricity was restored, causing anger and frustration at local and Government levels.

For the first time since 1985, New York's iconic stock exchange was shut down for two days as floodwaters surged through the city.

The New York subway also remained closed for a number of days due to flooding and passengers were left stranded as hundreds of flights were cancelled.

Emergency services were inundated, with 911 receiving up to 10,000 calls per hour as people reported cars floating down streets, trees falling on power lines and other local damage.

National Guard troops provided food and assistance to people trapped in flooded homes and made thousands of rescues.

An explosion at a New York power plant was caught on camera moments after the storm made landfall and a partially collapsed crane was snapped hanging precariously from the top of a high-rise building.

In the Caribbean, Haiti was the hardest hit, with up to 54 people recorded dead.

According to authorities about 200,000 people in the Caribbean were left homeless, with emergency shelter only provided for around 17,000.

Besides immediate fatalities and damage, there is also widespread concern about food shortages due to extensive crop damage in the poorest nation of the Americas.

Preparations for Sandy across the US saw thousands of people forced to flee their homes and seek shelter with friends or in evacuation centres.

US President Barack Obama urged residents to take warnings seriously and declared a state of emergency in nine states.

Obama also stopped campaigning ahead of the US election to focus on the storm, and displaced residents were provided with alternative polling stations to cast their ballots.

Among Sandy's heartbreaking destruction came stories of survival.

A New Jersey woman went into labour as the superstorm began pounding the area, forcing her out into dangerous conditions to seek help.

The pregnant woman gave birth at a mobile medical unit after a harrowing journey through flood waters and treacherous conditions.

The historic US marathon was cancelled at the last minute out of respect to victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Many of the participants who had travelled for the event stayed in the area to help in recovery efforts.

Estimates predict that damage from Superstorm Sandy will cost between $30 and $50 billion, putting it just behind Hurricane Katrina as the most expensive storm in US history.