Having been knocked onto its knees, the east coast of the United States must now get back on its feet.
But that will be easier said than done, given the extent of the devastation caused by Sandy, one of the worst storms ever to hit the region.
Entire communities in New Jersey have been submerged by sand and water. An estimated eight million homes and businesses are without power.
At least 45 people have been killed across three states.
"From our house we literally saw, it was like a river." described one woman in New Jersey. "With every wave that came in it crested down, the destruction brought not only sea water, but gates, parts of the boardwalk, trees, debris like you wouldn't believe".
Restoring power supplies and transport services is a priority. 16,000 flights were cancelled. However, JFK and Newark airports are set to reopen imminently.
"We had a river in our backyard, in the front yard. It was three feet high," said another. "The whole rec room was just a river. The wind was, I thought the windows were going to blow in. It was scary."
The New Jersey Governor Chris Christie toured the area by helicopter, meeting residents and promising to rebuild devastated neighbourhoods.
Sandy reached as far inland as Ohio meaning the rain fell as snow here in parts of West Virginia, an early-season bonus for ski resorts.
The storm is now barrelling north to Canada.
