Blog: Hurricane Sandy - 'New Yorkers don't panic'

New York: "New Yorkers don't panic". So says my building concierge Roberto Perez, a native New Yorker living in the city since he was two years old. He says it best. As the city braces to face the superstorm with 90 mph winds, which has already caused 67 deaths, the eye of the storm is likely to hit Atlantic City in New Jersey. But with a 500 mile radius, it could affect 60 million people.

I just came back from my local grocery store. And surprise, surprise, it was busier than ever. Jose Alcantarra, the manager at Morton Williams, says "business is good" and they will stay open 24 hours. Cabs have been arranged to pick and drop off employees. Shelves were slowly emptying - water, juice, chips and canned soups seemed to be go-to items. But even though Maria, a salesperson is hoping "they run out of items", Alcantarra assures me that he has several replenishments coming in.

A similar sentiment is echoed by Hira Hassan, a cab driver from Kolkata, India. "We have to pay back the lease money', he explains as I ask him if he will continue to drive later tonight. For some it is compulsion, for others, an adventure. Josh and Natalie, just flew in from Australia and had to be evacuated from their apartment in Battery Park. Staying with friends in Midtown Manhattan, they are shopping because "the least we could do was to cook them dinner". Meanwhile, in New York to film an entertainment show, Londoners Alex and Lauren say they are "dubious". "We are not used to hurricanes, we don't get them in England". But they are still thinking of getting a few hours of shoot this evening as they don't want the shoot permits to go to waste.

Perhaps most concerned are the elderly and parents with little kids. Courtney, mother to three-year-old Charlie says "he is driving us pretty stir crazy" because he likes being out and about. "But thank God for the iPad", the saviour for harried parents.

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Back in my building, Roberto Perez tells me the storm is the worst he has ever seen. "The biggest fear is power failure. Especially people getting stuck in elevators in the 50 storey skyscrapers." While the government hasn't officially reached out yet, Perez says the building will start calling families with young kids and the elderly first, to make sure they are safe or get them safely down to the lobby.

So far while it is windy and umbrellas are turning upside down, the rain is light and hoodies suffice. I even saw a jogger in his t-shirt and track shorts and toddlers out in their strollers and rain boots. But the calm belies reality. A crane just collapsed on 57th street, just few blocks from me. I can see it out of my window. Power utility major, ConEd may shut down power in lower Manhattan. This is unprecedented. Stock exchanges, public transport and schools remain shut on Tuesday.

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My doorbell just rang. Remember this is unusual in Manhattan where visitors are announced. It was my neighbour figuring out how we are going to handle the storm. Neighbours who might not talk in years besides a polite hello. We decided if it got really bad we will all sit out in the hallway. The fear is that even regular objects can become deadly projectiles at 800 feet. But you know what. Dominoes still delivers. Just order extra large, save some for tonight and give the biggest tip.

It is going to be a long night. Don't panic.