New York braces for powerful coastal storm

NEW YORK, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- New York temporarily closed major bridges early Monday and deployed thousands of utility crews to deal with impacts from wind gusts and heavy rains brought by a powerful coastal storm.

The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge linking Staten Island and Brooklyn, Throgs Neck Bridge linking Queens and Bronx and Cross Island Parkway between Northern Boulevard and the Throgs Neck Bridge were closed totally or partially for a few hours due to high wind, according to New York City Emergency Management.