Fierce storm brings havoc to city

NEW York City residents, utility crews and railroad workers have cleaned up debris after a brief but fierce storm swept through the city, killing at least one person as it tore up trees, stripped roofs and disrupted train services.

The National Weather Service dispatched investigators to assess whether a tornado touched down on Thursday night during the storm.

Tornado warnings were issued for the boroughs of Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens.

Officials at Long Island Rail Road, the largest commuter rail line in the US, said crews worked through the night to clear tracks of fallen trees.

Alfonso Quiroz, a spokesman for Consolidated Edison, said at least 30,000 customers had their power cut off.

Police said a 30-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell on a parked car in Queens.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Karl strengthened to a Category 3 storm yesterday as it roared toward ports and oil installations on Mexico's Gulf Coast.

The Mexican government has issued a hurricane warning for a 186-mile stretch of coast in Veracruz state, stretching northward from the city of the same name.