As Sandy fades after days of inflicting misery, the extent of the superstorm's tragedy is becoming clearer.

Dozens of families are making funeral arrangements, with Sandy's death toll standing at 88 in the United States and at least 157 overall, including in the Caribbean and Canada.

Now that floodwaters have begun to recede, those in the hardest-hit areas are sifting through enormous physical wreckage and, in many cases, are facing a steep emotional toll as they try to cope with personal and community loss.

In countless cases, storm victims are relying on help from authorities, neighbors and strangers. Many are leaning on faith to deal with Sandy's overwhelming impact.

A running CNN tally reflects a steady restoration of power, but a little more than 4.8 million customers remained without electricity on Thursday morning in 15 states and the District of Columbia.

Here's a look at how Sandy has affected the United States:

CONNECTICUT

-- The state is taking steps to speed up repairs to the state's seawalls by allowing people to begin them and later "follow-up with us for necessary paperwork," Gov. Dannel Malloy announced.

"This process will help people move quickly to secure and protect their property, while ensuring that important environmental protections remain in place," Malloy said in a statement.

-- As in several other states, Connecticut homeowners will save thousands in insurance costs after Malloy declared that Sandy did not make landfall as a hurricane, exempting them from insurers' hurricane deductibles.

-- Some residents did not evacuate in Hartford/New Haven because they had never experienced flooding in their neighborhoods and had to call on rescuers to help them out of their homes, CNN affiliate WFSB-TV reported.

-- Malloy visited shoreline communities hit hardest Wednesday, beginning his tour with a stop at a church.

-- On his YouTube channel, he released aerial video of storm damage. He also announced free rail service for Thursday and Friday to Grand Central station.

-- President Barack Obama signed a disaster declaration for the state, freeing up federal funds.

-- The death toll stands at four, according to Scott DeVico, a Connecticut emergency management official. The victims -- one of them an Easton firefighter -- were killed by falling trees.

DELAWARE

-- Gov. Jack Markell has ended the state of emergency for Superstorm Sandy, and officials have reopened all previously evacuated areas.

-- Attorney General Beau Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden, warned residents to keep an eye out for scammers "attempting to defraud homeowners" with phony home repair offers.

-- Delmarva Power predicted power will be fully restored by 6 p.m. Friday.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

-- Despite the federal government being in disaster mode on a national level, on a local level things appear to be back to normal in the capital, with government offices, schools, street cleaning and public transportation up and running.

-- Early voting has resumed.

MAINE

-- One last emergency shelter remains open at the fire station in Alna until the last resident sees power restored, according to the emergency management agency.

-- Some 2,296 customers still do not have power in the state.

MARYLAND

-- The National Guard went door-to-door in the coastal city of Crisfield in Humvees to aid victims of flood damage. Shallow water stood in many streets up to doorsteps, and residents described the ground as "soggy."

-- The coroner's office says the state's death toll is 10, according to Kasey Parr from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency.

-- In the western part of the state, crews were working to remove both snow and downed trees blocking roadways.

-- Gov. Martin O'Malley signed an executive order giving residents more time to apply for and send in absentee ballots. Registered voters who are out of the county due to Sandy now have until 5 p.m. Monday to apply for one, and ballots must be mailed by Election Day and received by November 16. The state Board of Elections can "electronically deliver absentee ballots to such voters," the order states.

NEW JERSEY

-- Sandy wrought the worst destruction on the seaboard of two states. New Jersey had miles of homes and businesses devastated in a series of towns. Some remained inundated with water or sand washed up by the storm. New York had the highest death toll in the storm.

-- New Jersey got personal attention from the White House as Obama toured storm-damaged areas Wednesday.

-- Sandy killed at least 12 people in the state, New Jersey state police said. Gov. Chris Christie, who warned people in low-lying areas to evacuate, said, "We're lucky that more people didn't die as a result of folks ignoring those warnings."

-- "When it comes to getting things done, I don't care what party somebody's in," the Republican governor said after touring the disaster area with Obama. "I'm aware of all the atmospherics. I'm not in a coma. But the fact is, I don't care."

-- Christie announced Thursday that mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted for 11 barrier island municipalities, meaning residents of those communities can return home for the first time since Sandy.

-- With "a state of water emergency" in effect, the Department of Environmental Protection has been authorized by the governor "to implement water usage restrictions across the state."

-- Some 500,000 gallons of diesel fuel will be delivered to the state by Thursday night to run trucks and generators at nursing homes, hospitals and other high-priority locations, he said.

-- State offices will be open Thursday.

-- "We'll be ready for Election Day, one way or another," Christie said.