“超级风暴”将侵袭美国东岸地区

Forecasters say conditions along the east coast of the United States will deteriorate Monday as one of the biggest storms ever to hit the mainland brings heavy rain and wind to a large section of the nation's most populated region.

Hurricane Sandy has been moving up the coast and is expected to join with two win

ter storm systems, creating a hybrid "superstorm" that could affect up to 60 million residents.  It is expected to make landfall late Monday.

Forecasters expect the storm to bring hurricane-force winds to portions of the coast from Virginia to Massachusetts.  The National Weather Service is predicting a "life- threatening" storm surge that could reach more than 3 meters in New York Harbor.

The storm has forced major cities including Washington, Philadelphia and New York to close schools and shut down their public transit systems.  U.S. stock markets are closed Monday, and the United Nations has canceled meetings and closed its offices.