UPDATE: Plainview Resembles War Zone as Sandy Pounds Region

Plainview residents awoke to widespread devastation all over the community Tuesday in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy's brutal winds.

Toppled trees were all over town, on main roads and side streets after hurricane-force winds tore across Long Island overnight. Homes and cars have suffered significant damage and thousands in Plainview are without power.

There were long lines at the businesses that were open around town. Bagel Boss on South Oyster Bay Road had a line out the door (see our photo) and at least one Dunkin' Donuts was doing a thriving morning business.

Earlier, Manetto Hill Road was blocked by a giant tree that has fallen across the entire roadway at Devonshire Court.

Old Country Road had a tree blocking all but one lane of the roadway. Tree limbs are scattered all over the community Tuesday morning. 

Plainview firefighters have been working through the night addressing emergency situations. They have been cutting trees and securing areas affected by downed wires. They responded to Opal Drive, just north of Plainview Hospital, Tuesday morning, to cut apart a tree resting on a resident's car.

The car is ruined, but no one was hurt.

Across the entire some 102,960 customers were without power Tuesday morning. That means that merely 20,000 LIPA customers still had power.

There are no reports of injuries in Plainview. Across Long Island, two deaths were reported, including a man struck by a tree limb in Roslyn.

Officials continue to warn residents to stay off the roads. The LIRR and all of MTA is shut down. Major New York City bridges are closed to all but emergency workers.

Late Monday night in Plainview many homes were illuminated by flickering candles and dim lanterns as the winds howled and branches flew like projectiles. The luckier ones were powered by generators.

Almost nothing was open around town Monday night. The Hess station across from Plainview Hospital was still selling gasoline. ShopRite was still stocked, but grocery clerks were pulling perishable foods from their shelves about 6 p.m. If a power outage occurred overnight, the meat and dairy would be protected in cold storage rooms.

Traffic lights, many darkened without power, swung wildly in the wind.

Plainview Firefighters were called to numerous homes for wires down and other emergencies. The northbound side of Route 135, just before the Old Country Road exit, was blocked by a large tree taking up two of the expressway's three lanes.

Residents have submitting their own pictures of local devastation.

This is a breaking story; Patch will update this report as new information becomes available.