Hurricane Sandy, also known as Superstorm Sandy, was a powerful storm that formed in the Caribbean on October 22, 2012. It intensified into a hurricane as it moved north across Jamaica, eastern Cuba, and the Bahamas before transitioning into a post-tropical cyclone and making landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey.
2. How Many People Died in Hurricane Sandy?
Hurricane Sandy resulted in approximately 233 deaths in eight countries, with most fatalities occurring in the United States.
3. What Was the Total Damage Caused by Hurricane Sandy?
The storm caused an estimated $70.2 billion in damage in the United States, making it the second-costliest hurricane in U.S. history after Hurricane Katrina.
4. Where Did Hurricane Sandy Make Landfall?
Hurricane Sandy first made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 1 hurricane on October 24, 2012. It then raked a path of destruction across Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas before hitting the East Coast of the United States near Atlantic City, New Jersey.
5. How Did Climate Change Impact Hurricane Sandy?
Climate change made Hurricane Sandy a lot more costly. A new study found that the storm caused over $8 billion more in damage than it would have in a world without climate change.
6. What Were the Immediate Effects of Hurricane Sandy?
The storm brought a record storm surge to New York City and the New Jersey Shore, severely damaging coastal communities and shutting down mass transit throughout the New York metropolitan area.
7. How Did World Vision Respond to Hurricane Sandy?
World Vision swiftly responded to Hurricane Sandy by distributing critical aid to people most affected by the disaster. In Haiti, they provided nearly 6,000 tarps, 5,000 water containers, and 2,500 hygiene kits in Port-au-Prince. In the United States, they deployed relief teams to assess damage in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
8. What Were Some of the Long-Term Effects of Hurricane Sandy?
The storm left many communities in limbo, with some residents still feeling the effects years later. In New Jersey, the Christie administration's rebuilding efforts were criticized for neglecting jobs and performing shoddy work.
9. How Did FEMA Respond to Hurricane Sandy Claims?
FEMA faced allegations of overlooking falsified engineering reports made by insurance companies to save on damage claims. This led to thousands of homeowners being denied their flood insurance claims.
10. What Changes Did NOAA Implement After Hurricane Sandy?
NOAA implemented several changes to improve hurricane forecasting and response. These included issuing storm surge watches and warnings, providing total water level forecasts, and utilizing advanced satellite technology like GOES-16 to enhance track and intensity forecasts.
11. How Did Hurricane Sandy Impact Coastal Communities?
Hurricane Sandy highlighted the vulnerability of coastal cities like New York to sea level rise and storm surge. It sparked a national conversation about how to better prepare the U.S. for extreme weather and climate events.
