Before making landfall on the shores of South New Jersey, Hurricane Sandy pounded Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba, leaving massive destruction in its wake. There were few boots on the ground from the western media to cover the effects on these Caribbean countries. 
 
 But when it became clear that the New York region would bear the full force of Sandy, the news media deployed their own massive force to cover every movement of the story. The networks and local television stations battled to show which reporter was bravest as they fed us live feeds of journalists standing in the middle of the hurricane. 
 
 The resilience and heroism of average people were the narrative the day after the storm. The dead were rightly given a face and their lives memorialised. 
 
 But we seldom see these kinds of reportage out of places like Haiti, a country that has seen more natural disasters than the richest countries would be able to handle adequately, let alone one of the poorest nations on Earth. 
 
 Hurricane Sandy drenched the country's south with more than 20 inches of rainfall. As the rivers receded, allowing officials to travel through the storm-drenched southern peninsula, the death toll rose to 52. 
 
 In Cuba, 200,000 homes were damaged by the hurricane. 
 
 In the Bahamas, the total cost of damage to private property and public infrastructure is expected to reach $300m, according to a report from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility. That total would be higher than last year's Hurricane Irene, which caused about $250m in damage to the island chain east of Florida. 
 
 But where in all this week's media coverage are the human-interest stories out of the Caribbean? Do we hear about the resilience of the Bahamian people and how they will restore their economy? What about those dead? So far there hasn't been any and I don't expect to be reading about it from any western publication. Part of the definition of news is proximity and western media companies rarely go out of their way to bring thoughtful vivid human stories of places far away. 
 
 The last time Haiti was covered under the bright lights of the western media was the fabled earthquake that hit the mountainous country on 12 January 2010. It was no surprise to me that the bulk of the stories filed from parachute journalists consisted of the heroics of the aid workers and rescue and mission teams that had flown in to help the survivors and victims of this tragedy. 
 
 But in Haiti, like many other places, locals pulled together and helped each other. The first responders were indeed Haitians. It took the international cavalcade days to reach Haiti and by then most of the death and destruction had already occurred. 
 
 The world simply didn't get a complete picture of the reality on the ground then, just as we didn't get the impact of Sandy on Haiti. That hurricane flooded Les Cayes, the third largest city in Haiti. Sandy has exacerbated a Cholera epidemic that has been difficult for the Haitian government to control and has put an added burden on a country that has experienced a string of natural disasters since 2004. 
 
 "I am launching an appeal to international solidarity to come and help the population, to help support the completion of our efforts towards saving lives and property," Haiti's prime minister, Laurent Lamothe, said on Wednesday. Let's hope his pleas are heard across the world. ||||| By Saturday morning, New Jersey's utility companies had restored electricity to 1 million customers after Hurricane Sandy left more than half the state's homes and businesses powerless. 
 
 The electric companies have restored service to about 300,000 customers since Friday night, but 1.4 million —, or 36 percent of homes and businesses — still have no power. 
 
 It's a significant drop from Tuesday's peak of 2.4 million and it puts the companies close to having turned the lights back on for half the people plunged into darkness at the beginning of this week. 
 
 Public Service Electric & Gas, the state's largest utility company, reported it had restored service for more than 100,000 of its customers since last night. It made most of its progress in Essex, Hudson, Mercer and Middlesex counties. 
 
 On Friday company officials said it could take until next week to restore service all of its customers. 
 
 Real time outage information for specific areas of the company's territory can be found here, or by contacting the company at Twitter handle @PSEGdelivers. 
 
 This morning 609,500 Jersey Central Power & Light customers still have no electricity after the company restored it to about 86,000 overnight. 
 
 Information on progress for municipalities served by JCP&L; can be found here. The company can be reached through Twitter via @JCP_L. 
 
 After reporting it had made no progress Thursday restoring power to the 70,000 customers who lost it during the storm, Orange & Rockland today said more than half of those homes and businesses now have electricity. 
 
 Atlantic City Electric, which reported 130,000 customers without power Wednesday, has cut that number to 24,000 as of this morning. Homes and businesses still experiencing power outages can access restoration estimates on the company's StormCenter page. 
 
 Stacy Jones: 973-392-7969, @StacyAnnJ on Twitter or stacy_jones@starledger.com ||||| The government says the public should stay away from free New York fuel stations until emergency responders get their gas. 
 
 Long lines of vehicles and pedestrians formed Saturday after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the U.S. Department of Defense was opening the mobile fuel stations in New York City and on suburban Long Island. 
 
 The state Division of Military and Naval Affairs then issued an advisory asking the public to stay away until more fuel is released. ||||| The New York region, where many residents remained without basic essentials, like food and shelter, made fitful progress on Saturday in its efforts to recover. 
 
 Power returned to hundreds of thousands of customers, with nearly all of Manhattan back to having electricity. The parks reopened, the main port in the city was working again and millions of gallons of gasoline was expected to start flowing to gas stations that had run dry. 
 
 But outside Manhattan, in the hardest hit neighborhoods of Queens and Staten Island as well as along the Jersey Shore and on Long Island, it was just the latest day to struggle through, working to both recover and rebuild after the storm. 
 
 More than 100 people in the United State died as a result of Hurricane Sandy, which struck the East Coast on Monday. 
 
 Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said Saturday in a briefing that while progress was being made, there was much to be done. 
 
 “We are getting through it,” he said. “The worst is behind us.” 
 
 Along with the power coming on for more residents, Mr. Cuomo said that 80 percent of the subway service had been restored and that Manhattan had been reconnected by subway to Queens and Brooklyn. 
 
 And while the governor and Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, tried to reassure residents that gasoline supplies were on the way, long lines were reported Saturday at stations in New York and New Jersey. 
 
 “Long lines will get shorter,” Mr. Schumer said. “Hot tempers will go down.” 
 
 In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie has imposed gas rationing, which starts at noon Saturday, leading to reports of drivers hurrying to fill up before the deadline. Drivers will be allowed to buy gasoline every other day. 
 
 A government survey conducted on Friday showed that nearly two-thirds of the stations in the metropolitan region were out of fuel. Mr. Cuomo urged patience and said that the situation would improve soon. 
 
 Since the New York City port reopened, fuel has once again started to flow through the system. Mr. Cuomo said eight million gallons of gas was being delivered to stations and he expected 28 million gallons to be distributed through the weekend. The Department of Defense was also stepping up its efforts to deliver fuel and will be bringing 12 million gallons of gas to the region over the weekend, setting up distribution depots to help ease the crunch at gas stations. 
 
 The most visible sign of progress came throughout the night, as New York City, once divided between light and dark, was united again. 
 
 As of Saturday morning, about 5,800 customers in Manhattan remained without power. 
 
 Just as significant as the return of power itself was what it meant for every other aspect of the recovery, specifically transit. As the power returns, subways can start running their full routes, and one of the biggest logistical problems caused by the storm will begin to be improved. 
 
 Throughout the night Friday, as lampposts, streetlights and storefronts flickered to life, cheers could be heard across whole neighborhoods. 
 
 In Lower Manhattan, the power restoration started around 5 p.m. on Friday in the East Village. The network there, known as Cooper Square, serves about 67,000 customers between 14th and Canal Streets. The Chelsea neighborhood sparked to life about 45 minutes later, bringing back power to an additional 25,000 customers between 14th and 31st Streets on the West Side. 
 
 The next big network came back to life around 7:30 p.m., when 30,000 customers east of Fifth Avenue between 14th and 31st Streets were once again able to turn on their lights. 
 
 Throughout the night, Consolidated Edison’s crews moved to make good on a promise that company executives made to restore power to all of Manhattan before Saturday. As each network came online, they got a bit closer to getting power back to all 220,000 people below 39th Street who lost it. 
 
 By morning, they had largely succeeded. There was work to be done on the Fulton Network, which is important to the subway system as well, and 65 buildings damaged in the storm would remain without power until crews could get to them individually, a Con Edison spokesman said. ||||| More New Yorkers awoke Saturday to power being restored for the first time since Superstorm Sandy pummeled the region, but patience wore thin among those in the region who have been without power for most of the week. 
 
 Pallets of food are lined up near what would have been the finish line for the 2012 New York Marathon, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012 in New York’s Central Park. The food was intended for the marathon participants... (Associated Press) 
 
 President Barack Obama visits the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for an update on the recovery from Hurricane Sandy that hit New York and New Jersey especially hard as well as much of the... (Associated Press) 
 
 With the official New York City Marathon cancelled the night before, a team of runners take a break after running the marathon route to the opposite side of the Queensboro Bridge, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012... (Associated Press) 
 
 Dressed to run, people pose for photos at the finish line for the 2012 New York Marathon, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012 in New York’s Central Park. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg canceled the marathon on Friday,... (Associated Press) 
 
 President Barack Obama visits the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for an update on the recovery from Hurricane Sandy that hit the northeast earlier this week, Saturday morning, Nov. 3, 2012,... (Associated Press) 
 
 A worker dismantles sponsorship signs at the Central Park finish line for the now-canceled New York Marathon, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in New York. Mayor Michael Bloomberg canceled the race after mounting... (Associated Press) 
 
 A utility crew works to restore power on Long Beach Island, N.J., Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, after communities on the island sustained damage from Superstorm Sandy. Frustration is setting in for some New... (Associated Press) 
 
 President Barack Obama makes a statement to the press during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for an update on the recovery from Hurricane Sandy that hit the northeast earlier... (Associated Press) 
 
 From storm-scarred New Jersey to parts of Connecticut, a widespread lack of gasoline added to the frustration. 
 
 New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the Defense Department will set up emergency mobile gas stations at five locations around the New York City metropolitan area to distribute free fuel with a limit of 10 gallons per person. Cars and emergency service vehicles will be able to fill up directly from the 5,000-gallon trucks. 
 
 "Fuel is on the way," Cuomo said. "Do not panic. I know there is anxiety about fuel." 
 
 Gas rationing was starting at noon Saturday in northern New Jersey, where drivers will be allowed to buy it only every other day. 
 
 In Washington, President Barack Obama visited the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for an update on superstorm recovery efforts and said "there's nothing more important than us getting this right." 
 
 "Obviously we've now seen that after the initial search and rescue, the recovery process is difficult and it's painful," Obama said. "But I'm confident that we will continue to make progress as long as state and local and federal officials stay focused." 
 
 Obama cited the need to restore power; pump out water, particularly from electric substations; ensure that basic needs are addressed; remove debris; and get federal resources in place to help transportation systems come back on line. 
 
 Power has been restored to about 60 percent of the New York metropolitan area, with about 900,000 still without electricity, including about 550,000 on Long Island, Cuomo said. 
 
 About 80 percent of New York City's subway service has been restored, he added. 
 
 The storm forced cancellation of Sunday's New York City Marathon. Mayor Michael Bloomberg reversed himself Friday and yielded to mounting criticism about running the race, which starts on hard-hit Staten Island and wends through all five of the city's boroughs. 
 
 Bloomberg, who as late as Friday afternoon insisted the world's largest marathon should go on as scheduled, changed course shortly afterward amid intensifying opposition from the city comptroller, the Manhattan borough president and sanitation workers unhappy they had volunteered to help storm victims but were assigned to the race instead. The mayor said he would not want "a cloud to hang over the race or its participants." 
 
 Many runners understood the rationale behind the decision. The overall death toll was 105, including 41 in New York City. The widespread power outages made many New Yorkers recoil at the idea of police officers protecting a foot race and evicting storm victims from hotels to make way for runners. 
 
 Still, the cancellation forced runners to deal with what to do with no race. 
 
 More than half of the 40,000 athletes were from out of town. Their entry fees were paid. Their airline tickets were purchased. Their friends and family had hotel rooms. And all week the race was a go, even after Sandy came ashore Monday. 
 
 "I understand why it cannot be held under the current circumstances," Meb Keflezighi, the 2009 men's champion and 2004 Olympic silver medalist, said in a statement. "Any inconveniences the cancellation causes me or the thousands of runners who trained and traveled for this race pales in comparison to the challenges faced by people in NYC and its vicinity." 
 
 ING, the financial company that is the title sponsor of the marathon, said it supported the decision to cancel. The firm's charitable giving arm has made a $500,000 contribution to help with relief and recovery efforts and is matching employee donations. Sponsor Poland Spring said it would donate the bottled water earmarked for the marathon to relief agencies, more than 200,000 bottles. 
 
 "When you have a significant amount of people voicing real pain and unhappiness over its running, you have to hear that. You have to take that into consideration," said Howard Wolfson, deputy mayor for government affairs and communications. 
 
 "Something that is such a celebration of the best of New York can't become divisive," he said. "That is not good for the city now as we try to complete our recovery effort, and it is not good for the marathon in the long run." 
 
 Each day has brought signs of recovery. 
 
 Aida Padilla, 75, was thrilled that the power at her large housing authority complex in New York City's Chelsea section had returned late Friday. 
 
 "Thank God," said Padilla, 75. "I screamed and I put the lights on. Everybody was screaming. It was better than New Year's." 
 
 Asked about whether she had heat, she replied, "hot and cold water and heat! Thank God, Jesus!" 
 
 But on Staten Island, there was grumbling that the borough was a lower priority to get its services restored. 
 
 "You know it's true," said Tony Carmelengo, who lives in the St. George section of Staten Island and still does not have electricity. 
 
 Added his neighbor, Anthony Como: "It's economics. Manhattan gets everything, let's face it." 
 
 The governor said the New York area had a strong sense of community, "but until you have your lights on you're not happy." 
 
 "We're not going to stop until we have every house and every home restored. ... This was truly a crisis, but it requires patience," Cuomo said. 
 
 NYU Langone Medical Center, one of two New York hospitals that had to evacuate patients at the height of the storm, said it would reopen Monday, although some doctors would see patients at alternate sites. 
 
 Seven backup generators at the hospital failed Monday night, forcing the evacuation of 300 patients. 
 
 At Bellevue Hospital Center, some 700 patients had to be evacuated after the power failed. An official there said the hospital could be out of commission at least two more weeks. 
 
 New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he would make public a list of when New Jersey utility companies intend to restore power to each community. Even if they end up working faster or slower, he said, residents will have a sense of when power will be restored so they can plan their lives a bit better. 
 
 Commuter rail operator NJ Transit said it would have more service restored in time for the workweek to start Monday, most of Atlantic City's casinos reopened, and many school districts decided to hold classes on Thursday and Friday _ days previously reserved for the New Jersey Education Association's annual conference, which has been canceled.
– A little bit of post-Sandy normalcy is creeping back into New York City and New Jersey, though some areas remain slammed: Free gas: The US military is setting up free fuel-dispensing stations at five spots around New York City, with a 10-gallon limit per person, reports the New York Post—but officials then told the public to stay away until first responders got gas first, the AP reports. With the city's main port reopened, Gov. Cuomo said 8 million gallons had been delivered to New York, and another 28 million gallons were on the way. Meanwhile, gas rationing started today in New Jersey. Power: Most of Manhattan has power again, and 80% of the subways are operating, reports the New York Times. But swaths of Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island remain in the dark. About 1 million homes and businesses are still without electricity in New Jersey, reports NJ.com. Death toll: The US death toll rose to 105, including 41 in New York City, reports AP. Not just here: At the Guardian, Gary Pierre-Pierre reminds all that Sandy slammed the Caribbean, too, though he complains that media coverage was relatively scant. Another storm: It's still in the forecast for the middle of next week for areas still recovering, reports DNA Info. The storm would be no Sandy, but it's expected to bring wind, rain, and maybe snow.