As Hurricane Sandy, hammered Cuba, Jamaica and the Bahamas killing 20 people in its wake. The US is now on full alert as forecasters warn the storm could pose a major threat to the US East Coast with the coastal Carolinas up to Maine, New York City and Boston potential targets.

With New York is on the potential east coast hit list, Mayor Michael Bloomberg couldn't confirm exactly or if the hurricane would hit but he urged calm and said New York would be prepared.

Some US broadcasters are referring to Sandy as The Halloween Hurricane - or even Frankenstorm, due to the possibility of it blending with a winter storm over the United States - as it was expected to bring coastal flooding and power outages around All Hallow's Eve - on 31 October.

But with Hurricane Irene still fresh in people's minds forecasters have been at pains to reassure it won't have the speed of Hurricane Irene, but, as it will be moving slower, than Irene did, it will have more potential for damage.

Written and presented by Ann Salter