There was a sense when the lights came back on in Manhattan that the bad of Hurricane Sandy ’s destruction was over . Sadly , that ’s far from the truth . For G upon thousands of masses , life is about as far away from getting back to normal as you may imagined .
The Rockaways , a residential area about as far out in Queens as you may get , was one of the place the storm shoot hardest . We spent some prison term there during the last couple of days . Here ’s what it ’s like on the ground .
Garbage Mountain
This is where all of the debris and debris from the Rockaways is being take . It ’s the parking lot of Jacob Riis Park , though you would n’t be able to recognize it as such . The mass is easy ten foot tall in places , and it ’s as deep as it is long . As shameful as it is now , cleanup has only just begun . This stack will likely raise to three of four time its size in the coming weeks . possibly more .
Sand Covers the Island
This image was direct in the middle of the island , about a quarter stat mi from the shore . grit was sweep in over many blocks . At every corner you see massive pitcher’s mound of sand such as this one , made by bulldozers in an attempt to make the streets drivable . There is still a layer of sand on most streets , cast from an inch bass to a dune that can quit a bike in its tracks .
A Typical Side-Street
This is one block of Beach 91st Street in the Rockaways on November 5th , 2012 . It ’s not an extreme example . There are streets that look a lot worse than this , and streets that seem full . This one was about average .
Debris is piled high up in front of every house . You see a lot of mattress , chests of drawer , fried electronics . You name it . Anything wet makes useless ends up on the pavement .
Armed and Dangerous
Many house physician are armed , and are understandably jumpy . They are willing to protect themselves and their belongings at any price . There is a sign you see posted everywhere , “ You reave , we shoot . ” It ’s not a dependable seat after darkness .
Reduced to Rubble
Huge plane section of homes and business have collapsed and/or burned to the earth . Here you see some of the casualty on Rockaway Beach Blvd , November 4th .
No More Boardwalk
Rockaway ’s iconic boardwalk is gone . In most places it has been swept clean off of the cementum columns it sat on . Some section are on the reason next to the columns , and some have been smashed into neighboring house , acting like a wrecking formal . This was just cylinder block from whereI browse as the hurricane was make out on . It is utterly unrecognisable .
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Smashed
Again , Beach 91st St , this time closer to the water . A vast division of the boardwalk was washed down the street , destroying homes and crushing car . Currently , no one bonk what is going to encounter with these immense pieces . If there ’s a remotion plan in place , the residents have n’t heard it .
Food Trucks, As Always, Are Heroes
nutrient motortruck have been showing up and giving away live meals for free . local are incredibly grateful .
People Helping People
It ’s not all bad news , though . The community has come together in incredible ways to help each other out . There has n’t been a cardinal point or organizing body . People have just been showing up , asking what people need , and then working together to figure out how to make it occur . This is one of the first distribution center that crop up up on the island after Sandy . It ’s on Rockaway Beach Blvd and 113th , and it primarilyruns off of solar power . Here , volunteer distribute solid food , supplies , diapers , really everything . There are now dozens of these , scattered throughout the island .
https://gizmodo.com/this-solar-truck-is-bringing-emergency-energy-to-rockaw-5957963
The interior of a distribution center that pop up in a vacant sign ( where Gizmodo ’s Chris Mascari was work ) . Nobody ’s in charge , it just sort of cropped up , and yet it ’s running very smoothly . supply come in and are separated into different room : apparel way , blankets room , food way , clean supplies elbow room , etc . Thick blankets and winter jackets seemed to be the most in - demand item , along with batteries , torch , and fuel .
Reinforcements Arrive
Most residents I ’d talked to had not seen FEMA or the Red Cross ’s comportment at all aside from a minor van here and there . And when they at last showed up in earnest , they were greet with war cry of “ What accept you so long ? ”
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano was on the scene yesterday , learn a enlistment of the field , but decline to gloss ( or rather , the Secret Service guys declined on her behalf ) . She was part of a giant wagon train of FEMA and Red Cross vehicle . Let ’s hope they ’re seriously boosting their exploit here .
What’s Next?
wait at last dark ’s stunning sunset , it ’s concentrated to consider that the town beneath it is in in butchery . But it is . The situation is Rockaway is , and continues to be , desperate . With a northeasterly storm getting ready to pound the area again during the next couple of days , the problems have just begun .
If you are in the New York region and can volunteer , please do . There is a great indigence for avail hand , especially on weekday . When the conditions turns bad in the days to come , it ’ll be even more crucial . Get on your wintertime geared wheel and lend a hand if you could . originate withOccupy Sandy Relief . Regardless of how you felt about the Occupy Wall Street movement , they have been doing an awesome job of getting people together and getting aid out there to those who call for it . And , of course , donating to the Red Crossis crucial as well .
Videos / Images : Brent Rose
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