Hurricane Sandy, one of the biggest ever tropical storms to hit the US East Coast, caused extensive blackouts and flooding in coastal areas including Manhattan.

The Meteorological Agency announced on Monday this September recorded the hottest temperature in more than 110 years due to an extremely powerful high pressure system over the Pacific.

More than 32,000 people are confirmed to have died one week after a strong earthquake hit China’s Sichuan Province. A 60-member disaster relief team sent from Japan started rescue and recovery operations on Friday.