Millions of people across the Eastern Seaboard woke up Tuesday to the full extent of the damage wrought by megastorm Sandy. An estimated 6.2 million people in seven states were without power and at least 17 deaths in the U.S. had been confirmed. President Obama declared New York and New Jersey federal disaster areas. The disaster declaration makes federal funding available to residents and businesses in the affected areas, which bore the brunt of the sea surge from the superstorm. Jeff Masters, meteorology director for Weather Underground, a private forecasting service, called the storm surges some of the highest ever recorded.