Hurricane Sandy - Impact on Infrastructure

Infrastructure: The destruction of physical infrastructure as a result of Sandy cost tens of billions of dollars for impacted states, including New York and New Jersey.^[1] According to EQECAT, a risk modeling company that focuses on catastrophes approximates that impacted regions lost between $30 billion to $50 billion in economic activity. The economic loss is attributed to the massive power outages, liquid fuel shortages, and a near shutdown of the region’s transportation system.^[2]

• Energy: Roughly 8.5 million customers were impacted due to power outages, including many businesses that are hard pressed to deliver products and services in a timely manner.^[3] Breaks in gas lines also caused fires in many locations prompting explosions and destruction of a large amount of residences. Locating gas and diesel fuel proved difficult immediately after Sandy hit, which harmed transportation access for many people.^[4]The impairment of the ability to obtain fuel is due to flooding damage in crucial terminals and harbours in the Arthur Kill region of New Jersey. The shortage of fuel held up first responders as well as other response and recovery officials. Therefore, portable generators remained unutilized resulting in long lines at fueling stations while individuals were unable to differentiate between the stations that did not hold power from the gas stations that were operational.
• Communications: Telecommunications infrastructure was heavily disrupted impacting millions of people and thousands of businesses, destabilizing the economy of one of the biggest cities in the world. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that roughly 25% of cell towers across 10 states were out of service at the peak of the storm.^[5]
• Green Infrastructure: Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge caused erosion of the beaches and dunes, island breaches, and overwash along the coast of New England down all the way down to Florida. Flooding along the coast generated substantial erosion to previous natural infrastructure, flooding of wetland habitats, coastal dune destruction or erosion, decimation of coastal lakes, and novel inlet creation.^[6]
• Transportation: Throughout the history of the country, the nation has not witnessed a worse disaster on public transit systems, which includes, buses, subway, and commuter rail, then when Sandy struck. The morning after the storm hit, on October 30, 2012, more than half of the country’s daily public transportation riders were unable to commute due inoperable service.^[7] The NYC subway system was shut down two days prior to the storm due to necessary precautions and remained closed through November 1.^[8] During that short amount of time, one of the world’s largest financial centers experienced immense traffic jams. Of those who were able to arrive to work experienced several hour commutes.^[9] Eight New York City subway tunnels were flooded due to a seawater breach which flowed through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, impacting various transportation systems throughout the region.^[10]

• Stormwater Management and Wastewater Treatment Systems: There was a massive failure in wastewater treatment facilities all around the mid-atlantic coast due to floodwaters, large storm runoff, wind damage, and electricity loss.^[11] The region’s waterways were hit with billions of gallons of raw and partially treated sewage adversely affecting the health of the public, ocean habitats, and other important resources.^[11] There was also a public health concern about the threat of contaminated water filling the pipes and well that supply potable water to large parts of the region. Large water utility companies experienced power outages disrupting their ability to provide safe drinking water. Advisories had to be sent out to many parts of New York to New Jersey for customers to warn them of the potential for their water to be contaminated. ^[12]The “boil water” advisories were later lifted, however, when it was proven that none of the water was contaminated or held the potential for any ill effects.

• Public Medical Facilities and Schools: A variety of New York City hospitals and other medical facilities including the Bellevue Medical Center and Coney Island hospital, were shutdown as a result of flooding from the storm. In many parts of the hospital, there was considerable damage to research, medical, and electrical equipment which was located on lower floors for ease of access.^[13] In New Jersey, medical facilities were also severely effected. In sum, the hospitals in the state reported an estimated $68 million in damages. Hudson county had to force closure due to the extensive damage done by the Hurricane.^[14] Hurricane Sandy also caused schools to close for about a week on average immediately following the storm. During the period of closure, schools attempted to regain control of electrical operations if impaired due to the aftermath.^[15]

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