Sandy strengthens as nears U.S. coast; Wall Street shut

A wall of water makes its way to shore as residents take a dip in the big surf in Ocean City, Maryland, as Hurricane Sandy intensifies October 29, 2012. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

NEW YORK/REHOBOTH BEACH, Delaware (Reuters) - Hurricane Sandy, one of the biggest storms ever to hit the United States, began battering the densely populated East Coast on Monday, shutting down transportation, forcing evacuations in flood-prone areas and interrupting the presidential campaign.

Fierce winds and flooding were expected along hundreds of miles of Atlantic coast and heavy snows were forecast farther inland at higher elevations when the centre of the storm moves ashore Monday night near Atlantic City, New Jersey.