国际英语新闻:UN headquarters reopens after three days closed because of Sandy

The 6.84-hectare UN complex adjacent to Manhattan's East River and inland satellite offices was closed for an uNPRecedented three days because of the weather.

Returning UN staffers found the white plastic sheeting placed over the GA hall's dome ripped off, the white tent-like security canopy at the Delegate's entrance demolished.

They also soon discovered their telephones, internet and in some cases their lighting, incapacitated if not working at all. Officials said they expected such problems repaired during the day.

The public also discovered the UN campus was closed to tours. Several disappointed-looking tourists, a few wearing track suits indicative they had come to town for the New York City Marathon on Sunday, were seen outside or departing the public entrance area.

The UN officials conducting briefings for delegates and reporters, Malcora, Gregory Starr, undersecretary-general for safety and security, and Yukio Takasu, undersecretary-general for management, also were quick to point out that despite the complex' s problems -- including a lack of air conditioning in some sections -- global operations continued.

A Security Council session Wednesday was moved from its temporary chamber in the basement of the GA hall -- temporary because of the major renovations the world organization has been undergoing the last few years -- to the North Lawn Building, itself a temporary construction.

What caused problems for the physical plant, the officials said, was the fast-rising waters of the East River surging through a service road entrance, up and over loading docks at the third basement level and then cascading into still lower levels.

Security officers found their locker room had been flooded out but paper archives dry and secure. The rush of waters forced closing down of air conditioning "chillers" which in turn forced shutdown of the over-heating computer room. The switchboard also took a hit and was inoperative.

The computers were backed up so no data was lost, the officials said, but the UN websites and email were off line for a while.

However, UN Peacekeeping operations although hampered by curtailed telephone service still had important communications lines open.

"During this time we also kept in communication with our overseas units, the agencies, funds and programs," said Starr. " With our missions around the world, we never lost communications. We were in fact clearing missions into highly dangerous areas, making decisions and keeping in constant contact with them as well. "