NEW YORK, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- A violent tornado-like storm swept through New York City Thursday evening, uprooting trees, damaging cars and causing at least one fatality and widespread property damage.

Power giant Con Edison reported 27,000 households without power in the five boroughs including 21,000 in Queens and 6,000 in Staten Island. A total of 40,000 New Jersey households were without power.