Looking Back at Hurricane Sandy

In the months of October and November, Hurricane Sandy, as a hurricane, killed at least 117 people in the United States. Another 69 people died in Canada and the Caribbean. The Death toll in the U.S. includes 53 in New York, 34 in New Jersey, 12 in Pennsylvania, six in West Virginia, four in Connecticut, one in Maryland, and seven elsewhere in the U.S. (CNN) The start on this Hurricane started in October 22, 2012 out in the Caribbean Sea and developed into a Category 1 hurricane the very next day. A category 1 hurricane is a tropical storm with winds of 39 to 73 mph becomes a hurricane when its winds near the center reach 74 mph. The storm surge is generally 4-5 feet above normal. Damage is mostly to trees and shrubbery, with no real building damage. Average wind speed for a category 1 is 74 to 95 mph with a minimum central pressure of 980 mb.

Hurricane Sandy hits its first landfall on October 24th, near Kingston Jamaica, with winds of 80 mph. (Fast Facts) The second landfall hit Cuba as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds. (CNN)Category 2 hurricanes are winds from 96 to 110 mph. The storm surge is generally 6 to 8 feet above normal. The damage with a category 2 would be roofing material, door and window damage to buildings. Also trees and shrubbery will have damage with some trees blown down. Damage to signs, mobile homes and poorly constructed piers would also have considerable amount of damage. Coastal and low lying escape routes may flood 2 to 4 hours before the arrival of the hurricane’s center. Hurricane Sandy then hit Haiti, killing 51 people. (Fast Facts)

In October 26, hurricane Sandy went down to category 1 with winds of 80 mph. New York, Maryland, Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania, and North Carolina declared a s...

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...ted that areas that were hit by Sandy were experiencing gas shortages due to gas stations without electrical power.

Also during the month of November New Jersey Governor Christie estimated that Sandy related storms to be about $36.8 billion dollars; with $29.4 billion in repairs and restorations and another $7.4 billion in supplemental mitigation protection and prevention coverage’s. New York City Mayor Bloomberg estimated the total public and private loss to New York City to be $19 billion dollars; with approximately 15 billion of these losses not covered by private insurance. (CNN) Governor Cuomo says Sandy has cost New York state $41.9 billion dollars with $32.8 billion in repairs and restoration costs and another $9.1 billion in mitigation and prevention costs. Along with the cost there were also close to 3 million people in New Jersey that were without power.