Hurricane Sandy: 21 days later

[robklurfield]

We finally were granted access to the barrier island where we've owned a beach house for the past 12 years (and where we've been going as family for the past 25). The devastation was staggering in some places. Mind you, what is shown is these images is 21 days after the storm made landfall at the Jersey Shore. That reflects 21 days of amazing efforts made by local, state and federal government, private citizens, businesses/contractors, the US Army Corps of Engineers, law enforcement, Army National Guard troops, etc.

The good news: our house survived with some damage, but nothing near so bad as what you'll be seeing in these images. All of these, with the exception of the pile of discarded appliances, was shot within five blocks or less from our place. The appliance pile is one town to the south.

I understand that the pile probably reflects only a portion of the appliances that have collected so far, as I believe they've already trucked many loads off the barrier island. The debris is being sorted into building debris, furniture, metal goods (such as the appliances).

The amount of sand that has been cleared from the roads is staggering. I are told that all of the sand that has been removed from the roads will need to be sifted to removed hazardous junk.

We are aware of several people who rode out the storm, quite foolishly, and survived. Two of them, sisters of a friend of ours were each in a different house, both of which were destroyed with the sisters in them! In one of the images, the top of house is sitting in the middle of the street. One of the sisters was in that house when it was knocked from the foundation.

The destruction shows certain elements of randomness. For example, some good friends lost their deck and balcony, but their house can probably be saved once it's lifted onto new pilings, while one house next door was completely washed away and one two doors down in the other direction was spilled into the road (it's the house resting atop an automobile. Nevertheless, the hyrdostatic pressure from the storm surge caused the basement floor of our friend's house to buckle from below.

Given the stupidity of the folks who ignored mandatory evacuation orders, it's a miracle that no one in town lost their lives.

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[robklurfield]

 

[robklurfield]

Blackhawk Up: Joe Biden Tours the Hurricane Sandy Ravaged Jersey Shore

Vice President Biden passed overhead with armada of Blackhawk helicopters -- there must have been at least 15-20 of them. This image was shot on 1st Avenue in Normandy Beach, New Jersey.

A few hours later, while stopped in traffic returning from the island to the mainland, we shunted aside by a rushing convoy of NJ State Trooper cruisers and SUVs. As the first car at the head of a lone line, one trooper approached us menacingly and shouted for me to roll down my window. He then told me not to move, as he headed down the line of cars. Within seconds I realized that the commotion was due to Mr. Biden's motorcade passing by in the next lane, probably on the way to McGuire AFB/Fort Dix where no doubt he headed on his way back to DC. I like Joe Biden and have now voted for him twice. That said, the cynic in me wondered how much of this was the PR value of the photo ops. I hope I'm wrong; very wrong.

L1019791

 

[robklurfield]

Now, it's a gelding.

An emasculated pony car. A new Mustang relieved of its swagger and machismo by the force of Sandy.
L1019834

 

[robklurfield]

 

[robklurfield]

 

[robklurfield]

 

[robklurfield]

The superstructure lying on the left was the top of a house lifted from its foundation and deposited in the middle of the road. It had sat next to the white house in the right background.

 

[robklurfield]

Another house that came unmoored from its foundation and deposited unceremoniously in the middle of Ocean Terrace (Normandy Beach, NJ).

 

[robklurfield]

Same house, different angle. This house probably dates from the 1940s.

 

[robklurfield]

 

[kbg32]

Nice work Rob.

 

[robklurfield]

A sense of humor helps to lighten up what is otherwise a rather dark time.

 

[robklurfield]

Keith, thanks. A labor of love to take my mind off my own (rather trifling and comparatively humble) troubles.

 

[robklurfield]

Not a good sign for this homeowner, but it beats a condemnation notice.

 

[robklurfield]

 

[robklurfield]

In the distance, you can see a US Army vehicle (not sure if these folks were active duty or National Guard). The island is still under martial law, though the rules have been gradually loosening up. However, we were told that we could not walk north of the truck as that is the dividing line between one township (Toms River) and another (Brick). In order to gain access to the island, we had to bring a tax bill as proof of ownership. There was a great fear of looting at the outset. Experience has taught that the contents of a great majority of homes was reduced to valueless refuse as evidence by the enormous piles of castoff furniture, etc.

One can also see here how the asphalt road surface buckled where it wasn't simply washed away. I supposed hydrostatic pressure coming from under the sand as the storm surge rose simply peeled the paved up like an orange rind.

 

[robklurfield]

Three generations grew up in this house...

 

[paulfish4570]

this is a hard time, rob. you and yours and your community remain in my prayers.

 

[robklurfield]

Perhaps the upper level of this one can be saved. It would need to be jacked on and then have wood pilings driven in beneath it. An expensive job to say the least. Before the storm, a lot like this on the ocean was probably valued at double or more compared a similar lot one or two houses farther from the beach. Now, one must wonder whether the view was worth it.

If you had flood insurance (supposed only 40% of the eligible homes had it), your maximum coverage is $250,000 and ONLY for damage caused water (and with all kinds of exceptions). Some of these older homes were probably built in the 1930s and 40s for perhaps only $5,000 to 10,000. Ones like this, directly on the beach, had been selling for big bucks before the 2008 economic crash. Some of these had been in the same family for several generations. The folks without mortgages weren't forced to carry federal flood insurance. It's expensive, so without it being mandatory, I'm afraid many people didn't buy the coverage. We had it. Our house, been further inland, is much less valuable, but it is standing. The parts of the house that survived the storm probably did so because the owners had the house raised on foundation/pilings (guessing this one was done in the 1970's). It was probably originally on a slab foundation. Had it remained so, it would likely have suffered the same fate as those houses that were splintered into toothpicks or dumped into the street.

As much as we love the shore, today, my wife and I more less simultaneously asked each other if made sense for anyone to rebuild in a danger zone like this.