The storm I witnessed was Hurricane Sandy.
When I first heard of the hurricane I thought it wouldn't be as bad as some people were predicting, but as the storm approached I certainly changed my mind. As we sat in the house it became very real how bad the storm was going to be. It was scary to hear the wind howling; blowing the trees around, hearing branches falling and the windows rattling. HurricaneSandy left a lot of destination and destruction not only in New Jersey but in the Trim- State and surrounding areas. The storm left many without power, homeless, long lines for gas and destroyed many homes and businesses.
As we sat at home watching the news, the lights began to flicker form time to time causing to wonder if and when we were going to lose power. I took a few minutes to look out the window, Just to see the wind blowing powerless around rapidly, garbage cans being blown around the street, hearing the windows rattle in the wind was enough to make me nervous.Just as was about to sit onto he couch with my son to thatch a news update, the power went out. We gathered a portable battery operate radio for us to be able to at least listen to news updates. We also gathered all the flashlights and candles to be able to light the house. Once morning came we were still without power.
It was difficult to do everyday things without power. We weren't able to watch television to watch news updates. We had to be careful with how times we opened the refrigerator as to keep our food cold and not to spoil.We were without hot water or have the ability to charge our cells our main form of communication with our other family members. We were truly grateful when our power was restored that night. Many other were not as fortunate as we were, they were without power for days and some people were without power for weeks.
Many people were left homeless due to Hurricane Sandy. Their homes, cars and belongings were completely gone. They lost personal items, heirlooms, pictures, memorable items, and home furnishings were destroyed. I couldn't begin to imagine what that must feel like to lose everything.
Many people had to stay in shelters if they had no family or friends to stay with. Other went to stay with family or friends. Some were invited to stay with complete but very caring and helpful strangers' homes. People had to rely on donations of clothes, shoes, food, diapers and water to be able to survive. In ten clays to Tallow Hurricane sandy we Degas to nave want some would call a gas shortage.
This gas shortage caused hour wait times and lines miles long to get gas. Some people were driving as far as Pennsylvania and the most Southern parts of New Jersey for gas. Some succeeded in this tasks, while others Just waited hours for gas.Some needed it to run generators to power their homes and others simply in deed of getting to work. After a day or two of long lines for gas, a gas ration was implemented to avoid the long lines and hour waits for gas. The destruction that Hurricane Sandy left was insurmountable.
Many homes were just washed away, floating down the bay. Other homes were left barely standing on two by fours. The boardwalk down the shore were Just ripped apart, amusement rides feelings the ocean. Some people's homes caught on fire due to gas lines breaking. Businesses and stores were closed due to being flooded, water damage or just simply being destroyed.All schools were closed for days.
Halloween and trick or treating were canceled. Train and bus services were stopped due to substantial track damage and streets being flooded. Down the shore there were mountains of sand in the middle of streets making them impassable. There were people who had to be rescued from their homes due to rising flood waters.
In our own neighborhood we saw the effects of Hurricane Sandy, Just not as bad as other parts of New Jersey and surrounding areas. There were fallen branches from the trees on our street. Shingles from people's roofs littered the street.People's satellite dishes hanging from their moms were hanging from their homes by a single wire.
Drain pipes, gutters and siding were ripped off some people's homes. A tree by a near by school was ripped up from the roots and feel over onto someone's car. Street and traffic light were not functioning making driving around town a little hard. Hurricane Sandy left New Jersey and the Trim-State area damaged and devastated. Inspire of the outcome of the storm, people in our area are a lot stronger than the effects of the storm.
Being able to see people helping others in a time of need, donating time, efforts, money, clothes, food and water.Line workers, Public Service and Gas company employees leaving their Jobs and lives, coming from all over to work 16-20 hour days to restore our necessities that we take for granted everyday. Ordinary people putting peer cords outside their homes once they regained power for others without to be able to charge a simple cell phone. Some people opened their homes to give a stranger that was left without anything a place to stay and feel at home. Even in the wake of Hurricane Sandy's destruction some thing great came out of it, the ability not to Just be a closer community but a closer state and people.
