As Hurricane sandy batters the East Coast of the US, and New York plunges into flood and darkness due to the heavy rains and power outages, the British Consulate-General In New York will remain closed on Tuesday.
Although the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), a government agency responsible for the interests of UK citizens overseas, has not issued any travel restrictions for UK citizens visiting any parts of the US, a statement issued by the agency reads, ‘Post-tropical cyclone Sandy has caused significant flood and wind damage across a large area along the east coast of the US. Effects are being felt further inland, including blizzard conditions in some parts of Virginia. Widespread power outages have been reported.
There will be severe disruption to air, road, rail, and cruise line services over the next few days; check with your travel provider before travelling.
The storm is moving north and will continue to affect the northeastern States and into southeast Canada, with strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding.
British nationals requiring emergency assistance can obtain help by calling our toll-free number 1-877-UK-IN-USA (1-877-854-6872).
Travellers are advised to monitor weather reports on radio and television and follow the advice of local authorities, including if ordered to evacuate. The British Embassy in Washington and the British Consulates-General in New York and Boston will be closed to the public on Tuesday October 30.’
Services to US airports on the East coast have been severely affected, leaving thousands of Britons stranded in US cities. British Airways has cancelled 13 flights to and from the East Coast that were scheduled for today.
Virgin Atlantic has cancelled all service from New York’s JFK and Newark airports for today, as airports have closed following the severe bad weather. Both airlines have also cancelled a number of flights that were due to depart from JFK and Newark airports early tomorrow.
