Friday 9 November 2012

NYC Mayor Bloomberg imposes petrol rationing post-Sandy

New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered petrol rationing based on number plates in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

The American billionaire imposed the rule 10 days after the storm which ravaged the east coast of North America, leaving fuel shortages across the state.

The rule came into force this morning at 6am EDT (11am GMT) and dictates all cars with a registration ending in an odd-number must fill up petrol on odd days of the month with the same rule for even numbers.

Mayor Bloomberg said: "We have to do something, and this is something that is practical and enforceable and understandable, and doing something is a lot better than doing nothing.” Only a quarter of the city’s fuel stations are working, he added.

New York’s trademark yellow taxis and their emergency vehicles (pictured) are exempt from the rationing rules.

Hurricane Sandy laid waste to the east coast as it blew through into Pennsylvania, with a death toll of more than 100. Millions experienced power cuts as gale force winds damaged electricity lines across the region and some in the New York are still without power.