Hurricane Sandy and Its Aftermath

On the eve of the first anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, it was a bitter-sweet moments for many in the affected coastal communities of the eastern seaboard. On October 29, 2012, Sandy came ashore, sending floodwater to densely populated barrier islands of Long Island and the Jersey Shore. In the New York City, the storm surge hit nearly 14 feet, swamping the city's subway and commuter rail tunnels. The storm was blamed for 182 deaths and $65 billion in economic damage, only the second-worst since the Hurricane Katrina. What was unique about Hurricane Sandy's devastating force was its breadth--its band of tropical-storm-force wind stretched for a record 1,000 miles--that had pushed much more water into communities in New Jersey and New York, had as high as 20-foot water surge in Great Lakes and dropped 3 feet of snow in West Virginia. According to an National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) study, Sandy had winds with energy as devastating five times of Hiroshima-type A-bomb. According to a September 2013 NOAA study, Sandy-type water surge is more common now--with likelihood of once-in-295 years--compared to the likelihood (once-in-435 years) back in 1950. By 2100, the likelihood is destined to reach an alarming threshold of once-in-20-year event.