NEW YORK: Tempers frayed in long gas lines and millions were still without electricity across the US Northeast as the death toll from superstorm Sandy hit 102 and crews searched for more victims in devastated communities in New York and New Jersey.
The US government moved to ease the fuel crunch by tapping strategic reserves and buying millions of gallons of gasoline and diesel to be trucked to storm-damaged areas.
With the US presidential election four days away, television and newspaper images of angry storm victims could affect the campaign.
President Barack Obama, locked in a tight race with Republican rival Mitt Romney, has so far generally received praise for his handling of the storm.
New York City canceled its annual marathon in the face of mounting anger as utilities restored power to about a million East Coast homes and businesses but still had about 3.5 million customers in the dark four days after Sandy hit the US coast.
New Jersey natives Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, along with Sting and a host of others, staged a televised benefit concert on Friday to raise money for victims of Sandy.
The massive storm, which combined a Caribbean hurricane with another powerful weather system, b rought 80 mile-per-hour (130-kph) winds and a record surge of seawater to Manhattan, Staten Island and coastal towns on Monday, sweeping homes from their foundations, shattering piers and swamping subway tunnels.
Forty-one died in New York City, about half of them in Staten Island, which was overrun by a wall of water.
Acute gasoline shortages led to long lines and short tempers across the region. In a move to ease the shortage, the Obama administration directed the Defense Logistics Agency to buy up to 12 million gallons (45 million liters) of unleaded fuel and 10 million gallons (38 million liters) of diesel for distribution to areas affected by Sandy.
The government also waived rules that barred foreign-flagged ships from taking gas, diesel and other products from the Gulf of Mexico to Northeast ports, and said it would tap strategic reserves for diesel for the Defense Department to distribute to emergency responders.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ordered gas rationing in 12 counties beginning Saturday. (Reuters)