Area known as "dog beach" in Melbourne, Fla., on Oct. 27. Sandy was still a tropical storm.
These past few days, the media have taken a break from election coverage to talk about Hurricane Sandy. It skirted the coast of Florida over the weekend, remaining off shore but causing beach erosion.
Now, a much stronger storm is heading for the New Jersey coastline. Storm surges, flooding and wind will impact large areas of the Northeast. Residents in endangered zones have been told to evacuate. Schools, offices and Atlantic City casinos have closed. Flights have been canceled and mass transit routes closed.
Atlantic City boardwalk in summer months.
For residents of Melbourne (Fla.), memories haven’t faded of the 2004 season in which two storms hit the area. Power did not return for 10 days in most places. Buildings suffered extensive damage. Blue tarps remained on some roofs for a year or more. A lot of businesses never reopened. In the last month, many of us Floridians received a notice from Citizens Insurance (the government-created insurance of “last resort”), saying that unless we take action before Nov. 6, our homeowner policies will be shifted to other companies. Change like this is rarely a good sign.
Although our coasts are heavily populated, we have advanced warning systems. Think back to the Great Hurricane of Miami of 1926 that killed more than 373 people and injured approximately 6,00 and left thousands homeless. Those people had only a few hours’ notice. They assumed when the eye had passed, the storm had moved on. It hadn’t. In the aftermath, state officials and newspapers, fearful of losing investment and tourist dollars, downplayed the disaster (which slowed relief efforts) and talked instead about new construction.
It’s 3 p.m., the storm has picked up speed. I have had Facebook reports of flooding since last night. I’m keeping updated via the Internet, news reports and TV. We hope for the safety of residents and a speedy recovery process.
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