New York emerges from darkness as lights go back on in Manhattan To add to the misery, another storm, known as a nor'easter, is forecast to send temperatures plunging below freezing in the region this week, raising fears for the welfare of those without power or heating. As long queues continued at petrol stations in New York and New Jersey, Washington issued orders to the US military to deliver 24 million gallons of fuel to the region. On the weekend before the presidential elections, the administration of Barack Obama is particularly aware of the dangers of being blamed for fuel shortages. And in New Jersey, the Republican governor, Chris Christie, also imposed fuel rationing. Less than half the petrol stations in New York City and New Jersey were open; in Long Island, the vast majority were closed. Some had simply run out of fuel, many others had no power so could not function. About three million homes and businesses remain without electricity as a result of the storm surges and winds. Mr Obama was praised initially for his handling of the storm's impact. But as the crisis has dragged on and images of storm victims dominated front pages, it is his rival Mitt Romney who could benefit at theballot box on Tuesday. As of last night though, it seemed that the storm was unlikely to affect the election result substantially either way. The death toll in the US rose to 102 this weekend, in addition to at least 69 people killed in the Caribbean. Consolidated Edison, the power company, restored electricity to historic neighbourhoods such as Wall Street, Chinatown and Greenwich Village after what it described as the worst natural disaster in its 180-year history. In New Jersey, the utility firm PSE&G said 612,000 customers were still without lights after power to 1 million had been restored. Con Ed said it had restored power to 70 percent of the 916,000 customers in the New York City area who were cut off. The company was still busy assisting tens of thousands more without power in New York City's outer boroughs, where some people complained of being ignored. In areas where power returned, there were celebratory scenes as residents who had moved to stay with relatives, friends and in hotels returned to share storm stories with those who stayed behind. Their mood was in stark contrast to the misery and suffering in districts that were in their fifth day of no power or water.