At a glance: 3 months later, Sandy losses mount

January 29, 2013 @ 8:58 am


| Zoom

(AP) - The hurricane that merged with another weather system to form Superstorm Sandy spun ashore three months ago Tuesday, devastating coastal New Jersey and New York and spreading winds, rain, snow and waves over parts of more than 20 states. The latest tallies from the second most expensive storm in U.S. history, after 2005's Hurricane Katrina:

DEATHS

The toll has fluctuated as causes of death are determined or changed, but as of Tuesday, the storm was behind the deaths of at least 146 people in the United States, according to government counts. That includes at least 98 in New York and New Jersey. There were 71 additional deaths in the Caribbean.

DAMAGE AND LOSSES

Sandy damaged or destroyed 305,000 housing units and disrupted more than 265,000 businesses in New York. In New Jersey, 346,000 housing units were destroyed or damaged, and 190,000 businesses affected.

Loss estimates in the affected states vary. Earlier this month, leading insurance company Munich Re Ag estimated insured losses at $25 billion and total losses at $50 billion. In December, state governments reported a total of $62 billion in damage and other losses.

FEDERAL AID

Congress on Monday passed a $50.5 billion emergency package of relief and recovery aid. Added to $9.7 billion previously approved for a federal flood insurance program, the total is roughly in line with the $60.4 billion President Barack Obama requested in December.

HOMELESS AND HEATLESS

At least 3,500 families in New York and New Jersey are still living in hotels and motels on the dime of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. As winter has settled in, people who still have homes but no means to heat them have taken refuge in tents set up by aid workers.

LEGACY

Redrawn federal maps indicating flood-prone areas may force many property owners, especially in New York or New Jersey, to pay exorbitantly for flood insurance, raise their homes or move away altogether. In New Jersey, flood insurance premiums could cost as much as $31,000 a year.

In New York, a commission formed to examine ways to guard against future storms has called for flood walls in subways, water pumps at airports and sea barriers along the coast. It's unclear whether enough money can be found for all the expensive recommendations.

___

Sources: State government agencies and officials, AP reporting


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
More National News
Top Stories
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (6)


  • Add A Comment

  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    The Dear Leader Obama, in the face of a failed re immac attempt, begins to lower the price at the pump,
    October 29, 2012 3:46 pm
    Now with the Hurricane about to make landfall, the price of gas may spike! Probably put it right back to where it has been for 3 years thanks to Obama's "Prices will necessarily skyrocket" policies!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    Stupidest post of the day award
    October 30, 2012 6:45 pm
    Goes once again to.....(drumroll) the stupidest poster of the year!!!! Thanks for all the entertainment this year, too bad your boy lost the election, maybe in 2016 the republicans can come up with SOMEBODY! Highly unlikely, but anything is possible.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    At times
    November 2, 2012 6:58 am
    it's pretty hard to feel for these people. Why is it that with 4 days warning, a sattelite photo that shows the storm as big as Alaska these people don't do anything to prepare for the aftermath? Have they learned nothing from Katrina, surviving the storm is %20 of the battle. I have 2 weeks of supplies stored in case of a disaster and these people can't gas their cars up with 4 days warning.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    Re-reading some of the moron's posts
    November 7, 2012 7:18 pm
    Pre-election stupidity, which accounts for 2 years worth of posts from our favorite uneducated republican idiot. Maybe we could save them and put them into an archive labeled "intervention" when to stop a relative from making a total food of him or herself. But then the entertainment factor would be gone..... Decisions....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mihalyim wrote...
    speaking of morons
    November 13, 2012 3:09 am
    Just curios how does someone make a food of themselves? do they chop off a body part and cook it on a BBQ like a piece of chicken? Maybe you should learn to proof read your comments before making fun of other people you FOOL.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mavila wrote...
    "Delays in power restoration after storm anger some"
    November 11, 2012 7:56 am
    Others are cool with it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }