Isabel legacy of contaminated water and electricity shortages

HURRICANE Isabel’s flight across the mid-Atlantic was swift, but its devastation will take time to overcome.

Nearly two million homes and businesses were still without power yesterday, debris clogged streets, and flooding left drinking water contaminated.

Long lines were forming yesterday in places where there was news of ice or water or hot showers available. Families began emptying refrigerators and freezers filled with spoiled food, and many faced the prospect of several days without a home-cooked meal.