Hurricane Sandy 2012

• KEY INFO: 22nd October 2012 started. made landfall on the 29th
• KEY INFO: Began in Caribbean -> heads North along US East coast -> makes landfall in NJ+NY
• KEY INFO: Superstorm because: Started as hurricane but grew to 1700km in diameter, merged with another storm causing turn West, Landfall coincided with spring high tide= storm surge 3m higher
• KEY INFO: 5 days from category 1 till it made landfall
• KEY INFO: Track was uncertain but CLIPR and European models were accurate
• KEY INFO: Return period = 100 years OR 700 with storm surge
• KEY INFO: GDP per capita =$65,350
• KEY INFO: Limited experience in Northern areas
• CAUSES: Warm sea above 27c - air cools as rises - condenses and latent heat released - air rises higher and low pressure created - storms grows and spirals due to Coriolus effect - Sandy moves North and joins another storm
• IMPACTS: $18billion economic loss
• IMAPCTS: 49 deaths in NY, 72 in USA
• IMPACTS: 346,000 homes damaged in NJ, 305,000 in NY
• IMPACTS: 10billion tonnes untreated sewage released into water courses
• IMPACTS: Power failure at NY medical centre - 215 patients evacuated
• IMPACTS: 8.5million homes without power
• IMAPACTS: In Washington stores ran out of essentials
• IMPACTS: 18,000 flights cancelled
• IMPACTS: East river flooded subway
• IMPACTS: NJ 10m of beach lost - exposed to erosion
• RESPONSES: 'Day of Giving' raised $17m for Red Cross
• RESPONSES: Gov provided $48b to affected areas
• RESPONSES: Major Bloomberg issued mandatory evacuation for low lying areas. 375,000 evacuated
• RESPONSES: 72 evacuation centres set up
• RESPONSES: schools closed
• RESPONSES: public transport stopped
• RESPONSES: 18 months on 30,000 still displaced
• RESPONSES: Training emergency services in responses to hazards
• RESPONSES: Gov developed strategic preparation plans for future events
• RESPONSES: Investment in flood preparation
• RESPONSES: Plans to build artificial islands to absorb storm surges. Cost $2bn but highly controversial