By JENNIFER PELTZ and TOM HAYS
Associated Press
NEW YORK
New York City’s main utility has cut power to part of downtown Manhattan in a pre-emptive bid to lessen damage from a massive approaching storm.

Consolidated Edison spokesman Chris Olert says the utility cut the power shortly after 7 p.m. Monday to 6,500 customers.

That’s when a few inches of water began spilling over the seawall of lower Manhattan. A weakened Sandy approached the city, threatening an 11-foot storm surge.

Olert says that power was cut to customers in an area bordered by the Brooklyn Bridge, Broadway and the East River.