Heavy rain and severe flooding is causing a big mess in the Northeast.

At least eight people died in storm-related accidents over the weekend. Nearly half a million people were without electricity in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut at the peak of the storm.

"We have been sitting around, flashlights, candles, nothing else, just waiting," New York resident Natasha Hamilton said.

It's been a waiting game for thousands of Northeast residents, as utility crews work through heavy rain and strong winds to restore power. They are also warning people to avoid live wires.

Hurricane Force Winds

The powerful storm snapped down trees like matchsticks from Pennsylvania all the way into New England.

The massive nor'easter ripped through the entire Northeast with wind gusts as high as 74 miles per hour.

In New Jersey, thousands of residents have been living in shelters after their homes were seriously damaged or destroyed by the storm.

And in North Dakota, anxiety levels have been rising along with the Red River. Several residents recalled stacking about 6 million sandbags last year to hold off the flooding, when the river topped 40 feet.

"Years ago 38 would have been a big flood," Fargo County, N.D., Commissioner Tim Mahoney said. "Thirty-eight to us is doable flood that we can work through and we're going to put up some dykes now that will stay up more permanent. So we will have to do less as the next years come on."

The latest flood forecast from the National Weather Service shows the Red River rising to 38 feet in Fargo by end of the week. That would be about eight feet above major flood stage, and three feet below last year's record.