Superstorm Sandy: 90 dead, millions without power, NYC residents grabbing food from Garbage Dumpsters!

The devastation by the Super storm Sandy has been mindboggling.  A recap:

  • 90 people are dead (link).  Worst hit was Staten Island amongst all the boroughs.  36 in New York City, and 14 from Staten Island.(link)
  • At one time 8.5 million homes and businesses didn’t have power.  Now it is down to 4 million.
  • Power may not be available until Nov 10/11: (link)
Con Edison said it plans to restore power to the vast majority of affected customers by the weekend of November 10 and 11, citing “unprecedented damage” caused by Hurricane Sandy.
  • State troopers are called into guard gas stations as drivers face massive lines (and short tempers) in post-Sandy fuel shortage.  Law enforcement officers sent to stations along New Jersey turnpike.  Motorists in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut feeling the squeeze.  Many stations unable to dispense gas as their power supplies are out.  (link)
  • Chaos in Manhattan as millions of New Yorkers battle to return to work on gridlocked roads, packed buses and limited subway network.  Limited subway service resumed at 6am this morning.  No coverage below 34th Street and only one train per hour per line.  Transit system suffering massive delays as MTA tries to recover from storm.  However, no fares being collected today or tomorrow in Sandy’s wake.  Buses in areas with no subway coverage massively crowded.  Morning commute racked with delays (link)
  • New York City residents – powerless, hungry, and homeless – have started scouring the dumpsters in search of food discarded by Grocery stores and restaurants. (link)  Dumpster divers have grabbed $40,000 worth of food. (link)

But finally this is what caught my eye.  A friendly neighbor whose house has power and he/she is helping the neighbors out: (link)

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