President Barack Obama is visiting rescue workers ahead of his trip to New Jersey to see the damage done by superstorm Sandy.
At least 55 people have been killed across the US and Canada. The worst of the damage is focused on New York and New Jersey, where Mr Obama will head later.
He described the disaster as "heartbreaking for the nation".
It was Mr Obama's second visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) in four days. On Sunday, he met with officials and told reporters the government would "respond big and respond fast" after the massive storm made landfall.
The superstorm wreaked havoc across the east coast of America The President is fighting a close race with Republican rival Mitt Romney and the White House has been keen to portray him as a strong leader ahead of election day on November 6.
Mr Romney is currently campaigning in Florida, where he said people had "come together" to help each other following the storm.
More than eight million homes have been left without electricity by the biggest storm to hit the country in generations, which swamped parts of New York's subways system and Lower Manhattan's financial district.
It is feared it could be days before electricity is restored to some of those cut off.
Floodwaters surround a car parked on a street in Hoboken, New Jersey Forecasters predict the storm could end up causing around $20bn (£12bn) worth of damages in the US.
While the storm has now passed the worst-hit area, Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said the bad weather will continue.
"The storm is still reacting with cold air from the west, so there will be further heavy snowfall as well as inland flooding," she said.
"Rainfall totals could reach around 6-8 inches, and winds will remain gale force in strength.
The Empire State Building seen through the flooded Erie-Lackawanna Park "The forecast suggests that the centre of the low will move northwards from western Pennsylvania into the west of New York and then into Quebec by Thursday."
More than 80 homes in New York City's borough of Queens were destroyed in a fire caused by the storm.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who toured the area, said: "To describe it as looking like pictures we've seen of the end of World War Two is not overstating it. The area was completely levelled."
Neighbour John Frawley, 57, said: "I stayed up all night. The screams. The fire. It was horrifying."
Falling trees proved to be particularly deadly during the storms Subways were flooded, public transport suspended, and flights disrupted.
However as the rain and wind eased, JFK and Newark airports were reopened. Laguardia airport remains closed.
In New Jersey, businesses and homes along the shore were wrecked and communities were submerged under floodwater.
But talk in the state quickly turned to rebuilding and recovery.
Areas along the shoreline were badly damaged "It's heartbreaking after being here 37 years," Barry Prezioso of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, said as he returned to his house in the coastal community to survey the damage.
"You see your home demolished like this, it's tough. But nobody got hurt and the upstairs is still livable, so we can still live upstairs and clean this out. I'm sure there's people that had worse. I feel kind of lucky."
Some newspapers had suggested that Tuesday's election could be delayed, but Sky News' Political Editor Adam Boulton said that was unlikely.
"No-one is talking about that. In Manhattan they haven't even called off the marathon this weekend."
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