America’s most populated urban stretch is slowly recovering after fierce blows from Superstorm Sandy earlier this week.
Before making an appearance in the U.S. around 8 p.m. on Monday night five miles southwest of Atlantic City, N.J., the storm claimed 67 lives in the Caribbean as it traveled across Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico.
The current death toll in the U.S. has risen to 81 and has left millions in New York City and other cities and towns along the nation’s northeastern coast mourning the loss of their loved ones.
Although the storm is not likely to set records for being the most costly or deadly, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg called Sandy, “a storm of unprecedented proportions.”
At the peak of the superstorm, 7.5 million businesses and households across 15 different states and the District of Columbia were without electric power. In addition, Sandy has presented commuters, homeowners and businesses with the challenge of navigating a damaged infrastructure of roads, bridges and mass transit systems. Work and schools were called off in some of the hardest hit areas.
Northwestern senior Hansol Park from northeast New Jersey said his entire family had been home from work and school up until Wednesday, with the exception of his little brother.
“My parents have been pretty laid back about the whole thing,” Park said.
Park’s family has lived in Tenafly, N.J., for thirteen years and knows the routine for hurricanes and tropical storms, although some of his friends were not as prepared in time.
“We always have plenty of food around the house,” Park said.“But by the time my friend went to buy food, most of the store and supermarket were empty. People tend to really stock up.”
Senior Jon Holm’s brother and his family moved to Maryland a few months ago.
“They got a lot of heavy winds and heavy rains,” Holm said. “The street behind them was completely flooded.”
According to Holm, his brother and sister-in-law bought a house right before the storm came up, but luckily the house did not sustain any major damage.
“My family’s was a much more minor case, which we are glad for,” Holm said.
Freshman Emily Stricklin, from Forest Hill, Md., said her family was kept safe from the storm.
“The area I live in is at a high enough elevation and far enough away from the water that there wasn’t any flooding,” Stricklin said. “Of course trees fell down and some main and back roads were closed, but none of my loved ones were hurt or injured. God definitely answered our prayers.”
Campus Ministries is considering ways for NW to get involved as the nation moves forward into recovery from Superstorm Sandy. Stay tuned for ways you can get involved through NW or other nonprofit organizations.
To learn more about Superstorm Sandy visit http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/01/us/tropical-weather-sandy/index.html?hpt=hp_t1.
