Tower Crane Collapsed during Sandy landing

Published on Nov 1, 2012 by ReutersTV Peter Amato, the former president of the New York City chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers, explains why the crane collapse occurred and the looming difficulties in resolving the situation, even though the threat of a falling crane is minimal. (November 1st, 2012) A giant crane is dangling precariously over the edge of a $1.5 billion luxury high-rise building in midtown Manhattan, prompting the evacuation of nearby residents and the cancellation of all concerts at Carnegie Hall. The crane toppled during high winds on Monday as Sandy barreled its way through New York City. ============ Hurricane Sandy was a tropical cyclone of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season that severely affected portions of the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States in late October, with lesser impacts in the Southeastern and Midwestern states and eastern Canada. In diameter, it was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, with winds spanning 1,100 miles (1,800 km).[3][4] The eighteenth tropical cyclone and named storm and tenth hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, Sandy is estimated in early calculations to have caused damage of at least $20 billion (2012 USD).[5] Preliminary estimates of losses that include business interruption surpass $50 billion (2012 USD), which, if confirmed, would make it the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane in history,[6] behind only Hurricane Katrina. Sandy developed from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on October 22. It became a tropical depression, quickly strengthened, and was upgraded to a tropical storm six hours later. Sandy moved slowly northward toward the Greater Antilles and gradually intensified. On October 24, Sandy was upgraded to a hurricane, shortly before making landfall in Jamaica. Farther north, Sandy re-entered water and made its second landfall in Cuba during the early morning of October 25 as a Category 2 hurricane. During the late evening of October 25, Sandy weakened to Category 1 strength; in the early hours of October 26, it headed north through the Bahamas.[7] Sandy began to show some characteristics of both tropical and extratropical cyclones on October 26.[8] Sandy briefly weakened to a tropical storm in the early morning hours of October 27, then restrengthened to a Category 1 hurricane later that morning. Just before 8 a.m. EDT on October 29, Sandy turned to the north-northwest and started to make its expected approach towards the U.S. coast. At 7 p.m. EDT that evening, Sandy was declared a post-tropical cyclone, while still maintaining Category 1 strength.[9] Sandy made its final landfall 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Atlantic City, New Jersey at about 8 p.m. EDT on October 29. Missing New York by almost 100 miles.[10] In the United States, Hurricane Sandy affected at least 24 states, from Florida to New England, with tropical storm force winds stretching far inland and mountain snows in West Virginia. The cyclone brought a destructive storm surge to New York City on the evening of October 29, flooding numerous streets, tunnels and subway lines in Lower Manhattan, Staten Island, Coney Island, the Rockaways and other areas of the city and cutting off electricity to parts of the city and its suburbs, especially Zone A areas near waterways which were issued evacuation orders.[11] Severe damage occurred in New Jersey, especially in the communities along the Jersey Shore.[12] Contents [hide] 1 Meteorological history 2 Preparations 2.1 Caribbean 2.2 Bermuda 2.3 United States 2.3.1 Florida2.3.2 North Carolina2.3.3 Virginia2.3.4 Washington, D.C.2.3.5 Maryland2.3.6 Delaware2.3.7 New Jersey2.3.8 Pennsylvania2.3.9 New York 2.3.9.1 New York City2.3.10 New England2.3.11 Appalachia and the Midwest 2.3.11.1 Great Lakes region2.3.11.2 Appalachian Mountains region 2.4 Canada 3 Impact 3.1 Caribbean 3.2 Bahamas 3.3 United States 3.3.1 Southeast 3.3.1.1 Florida3.3.1.2 North Carolina3.3.1.3 Virginia3.3.2 Mid-Atlantic 3.3.2.1 Washington, D.C.3.3.2.2 Maryland3.3.2.3 Delaware3.3.2.4 New Jersey3.3.2.5 Pennsylvania3.3.2.6 New York3.3.3 New England3.3.4 Appalachia 3.3.4.1 West Virginia3.3.5 Other Areas 3.3.5.1 Ohio3.3.5.2 Michigan3.3.5.3 Kentucky 3.4 Bermuda 3.5 Canada 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Meteorological historyMain article: Meteorological history of Hurricane Sandy Storm pathHurricane Sandy developed at 1500 UTC on October 22, when the National Hurricane Center (NHC) initiated advisories on Tropical Depression Eighteen to the south of Kingston, Jamaica. The system developed from an area of low pressure and had organized convection.[13] It moved slowly at first due to a ridge to the north. Low wind shear and warm waters allowed for strengthening,[13] and the system became Tropical Storm Sandy late on October 22.[14] Early on October 24, an eye began developing, and it was moving steadily northward due to an approaching trough.[15] Later that day, the NHC upgraded Sandy to hurricane status about 65 mi (105 km) south of Kingston, Jamaica.[16] At about 1900 UTC that day, Sandy made landfall near Kingston with winds of about 80 mph (130 km/h).[17] Just offshore Cuba, Sandy rapidly intensified to winds of 110 mph (175 km/h),[18] and at that intensity it made landfall just west of Santiago de Cuba at 0525 UTC on October 25.[19] After Sandy exited Cuba, the structure became disorganized,[20] and it turned to the north-northwest over the Bahamas.[21] By October 27, Sandy was no longer fully tropical, and despite strong shear, it maintained convection due to influence from an approaching trough; the same trough turned the hurricane to the northeast.[22] After briefly weakening to a tropical storm,[23] Sandy re-intensified into a hurricane,[24] and on October 28 an eye began redeveloping.[25] The storm moved around an upper-level low over the eastern United States and also to the southwest of a ridge over Atlantic Canada, turning it to the northwest.[26] Sandy reached a secondary peak of 90 mph (150 km/h) on October 29, around which time it had a wind diameter of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,150 mi, 1,850 km).[27] The convection diminished while the hurricane accelerated toward the New Jersey coast,[28] and the hurricane was no longer tropical by 2300 UTC on October 29.[29] An hour later, Sandy made landfall about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Atlantic City,[30] with winds of 90 mph (150 km/h).[31] The remnants weakened over Pennsylvania, degenerating into a remnant trough on October 31.[32] In the case of Hurricane Sandy two important factors contributing to the size and strength of the storm were unusually warm ocean surface temperatures and an increase in blocking patterns, both of which are expected to occur more frequently due to global warming.[33][34] Mark Fischetti of Scientific American proposed a more explicit link, arguing that the melting of Arctic ice caused a negative North Atlantic Oscillation, which fueled the expansion of Sandy by pushing the jet stream south.[35] Regarding the losses by this storm or other large storms, it is stated by Roger Pielke Jr., a climate-policy researcher at the University of Colorado, Boulder, “We cannot yet attribute increasing dollar losses to human-caused climate change. Maybe we will one day, but not at present.” [36] PreparationsCaribbeanAfter the storm became a tropical cyclone on October 22, the Government of Jamaica issued a tropical storm watch for the entire island.[37] Early on October 23, the watch was replaced with a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch was issued.[38] At 3 p.m. UTC, the hurricane watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning, while the tropical storm warning was discontinued.[39] Shortly after Jamaica issued its first watch on October 22, the Government of Haiti issued a tropical storm watch for Haiti.[40] By late October 23, it was modified to a tropical storm warning.[41] The Government of Cuba posted a hurricane watch for the Cuban Provinces of Camagüey, Granma, Guantánamo, Holguín, Las Tunas, and Santiago de Cuba at 1500 UTC on October 23.[39] Only three hours later, the hurricane watch was switched to a hurricane warning.[42] The Government of the Bahamas, at 1500 UTC on October 23, issued a tropical storm watch for several Bahamian islands, including the Acklins, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Exuma, Inagua, Long Cay, Long Island, Mayaguana, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador Island.[39] Later that day, another tropical storm watch was issued for Abaco Islands, Andros Island, the Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, and New Providence.[42] By early on October 24, the tropical storm watch for Cat Island, Exuma, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador was upgraded to a tropical storm warning.[43] BermudaAt 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 UTC) on October 26, the Bermuda Weather Service issued a tropical storm watch for Bermuda, reflecting the enormous size of the storm and the anticipated wide-reaching impacts.[44] United States White House conference with FEMA and Department of Homeland Security in preparation for arrival of the hurricane.Much of the East Coast of the United States in the Mid-Atlantic and New England states had a good chance of receiving gale-force winds, flooding, heavy rain and possibly snow early in the week of October 28 from an unusual hybrid of Hurricane Sandy and a winter storm producing a Fujiwhara effect.[45] Government weather forecasters said there was a 90% chance (the chance having increased from 60% on October 24), that the East Coast would be impacted by the storm. Some media outlets began referring to the expected combination of the tropical system and storm front under the nickname "Frankenstorm."[46] As coverage continued, many outlets began eschewing this term in favor of "superstorm",[47] with CNN in particular declaring an embargo on the use of the term "Frankenstorm" in its reporting, citing sensitivity concerns.[48] Utilities and governments along the East Coast attempted to head off long-term power failures as a result of Sandy. Power companies from the Southeast to New England alerted independent contractors to be ready to assist to fix storm damaged equipment quickly and are asking employees to cancel vacations and work longer hours. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University, using a computer model built on power outage data from previous hurricanes, conservatively forecast that 10 million customers along the Eastern Seaboard would lose power from Sandy.[49] In New Jersey, where the storm was expected to come ashore, Jersey Central Power & Light told employees to be prepared for extended shifts.[50] Through regional offices in Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) monitored Sandy and closely coordinated with state and tribal emergency management partners in Florida and the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and New England states.[51] President Obama signed emergency declarations on October 28 for several states expected to be impacted by Sandy, allowing them to request federal aid and make additional preparations in advance of the storm.[52] Amtrak canceled some services through October 29 in preparation for the storm.[53] Flight cancellations and alerts for travel on the U.S. East Coast were put in place in the Mid-Atlantic and the New England areas.[54] Over 5,000 commercial airline flights scheduled for October 28 and October 29 were cancelled by the afternoon of October 28.[55] The National Guard and U.S. Air Force put as many as 45,000 personnel in at least seven states were put on alert for possible duty in response to the preparations and aftermath of Sandy.[56] FloridaSandy brought tropical-storm force winds and rain to South Florida from October 25–27,[57][58] causing schools to close in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.[59] Schools on the Treasure Coast also announced closures for October 26, in anticipation of Sandy.[60] Storm surge from Sandy also caused flooding and beach erosion along coastal areas in the South Florida.[61] North CarolinaOn October 26, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue declared a state of emergency for 38 eastern counties in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy, taking effect October 27.[62] By Monday, October 29, the state of emergency was extended to 24 counties in western North Carolina, with up to a foot of snow attributed to Sandy anticipated in higher elevations. The National Park Service closed at least five sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway.[63] VirginiaThe U.S. Navy sent more than twenty seven ships and forces to sea from Norfolk Naval Base, for their protection.[64] Governor McDonnell authorized the National Guard to activate 630 personnel ahead of the storm.[65] Republican Party presidential candidate Mitt Romney cancelled campaign appearances scheduled for October 28 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and New Hampshire October 30 because of Sandy. Vice President Joe Biden cancelled his appearance on October 27 in Virginia Beach and an October 29 campaign event in New Hampshire.[66] President Barack Obama cancelled a campaign stop with former President Bill Clinton in Virginia scheduled for October 29, as well as a trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado, the next day because of the impending storm, and said he will remain in Washington D.C.[67] As of the morning of November 2, 6,100 customers remain without power, down from more than 180,000.[68] Washington, D.C.On October 26, Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray declared a state of emergency.[69] That same day the governors of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia also declared states of emergency in preparation of the approaching storm.[64] The United States Office of Personnel Management announced federal offices in the Washington, D.C. area would be closed to the public on October 29–30.[70] In addition, Washington D.C. Metro service, both rail and bus, was canceled on October 29 due to expected high winds, the likelihood of widespread power outages, and the closing of the federal government.[71] President Obama declared a state of emergency for the District of Columbia.[72] The Smithsonian Institution closed for the day of October 29.[73] MarylandOn October 27, Smith Island residents were evacuated with the assistance of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, Dorchester County opened two shelters for those in flood prone areas, and Ocean City initiated Phase I of their Emergency Operations Plan.[74][75][76] Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. has been putting workers on standby and making plans to bring in crews from other states.[50] On October 28, President Obama declared an emergency in Maryland and signed an order authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to aid in disaster relief efforts.[77] Also, numerous areas were ordered to be evacuated including part of Ocean City, Worcester County, Wicomico County, and Somerset County.[78][79] As of October 27, 2012, there are serious possibilities that more than a hundred million tons of dirty sediment mixed with tree limbs and debris floating behind Conowingo Dam may be eventually poured into the Chesapeake Bay, posing a potential environmental threat.[80] The Maryland Transit Administration canceled all service for October 29 and October 30. The cancellations applied to buses, light rail, Amtrak and MARC train service.[81] On October 29, six shelters opened in Baltimore and early voting was cancelled for the day.[73] Maryland Insurance Commissioner Therese M. Goldsmith activated an emergency regulation requiring pharmacies to refill prescriptions regardless of their last refill date.[82] On October 29, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge over the Chesapeake Bay and the Millard E. Tydings Memorial Bridge and Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge over the Susquehanna River were closed to traffic in the midday hours.[83] DelawareOn October 28, Governor Markell declared a state of emergency, with coastal areas of Sussex County evacuated. Delaware Route 1 through Delaware Seashore State Park was closed due to flooding.[84] Delaware roads will be closed to the public after 5 a.m., except for emergency and essential personnel.[85] Tolls on I-95 and Delaware Route 1 in the state have been waived.[86] New Jersey Airmen of the New Jersey National Guard's 108th Wing are processed before being sent to assist at various emergency shelters.In Cape May County, New Jersey, officials advised residents on barrier islands to evacuate on October 26, becoming a mandatory evacuation on October 28. There was also a voluntary evacuation for Mantoloking, Bay Head, Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach, Ship Bottom, and Stafford in Ocean County.[87][88][89] Jersey Central Power & Light informed employees to be prepared for extended shifts. Most schools, colleges and universities were closed October 29, and at least 509 out of 580 school districts were closed October 30.[50][90] Governor Chris Christie issued mandatory evacuations for all barrier islands from Sandy Hook to Cape May, along with the closure of all Atlantic City casinos. Tolls were suspended on the northbound Garden State Parkway and the westbound Atlantic City Expressway starting at 6 a.m. on October 28.[91] President Obama signed an emergency declaration for New Jersey. The declaration allows the state to request federal funding and other assistance for actions taken prior to Sandy's landfall.[92] On October 28, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer ordered an evacuation of all basement and street level residential units, due to possible flooding.[93] On October 29, a mandatory evacuation was put in effect for all residents in Logan Township.[94] On October 29, Sandy made landfall near Atlantic City.[95] PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia Mayor Michael Nutter asked residents in low-lying areas and neighborhoods prone to flooding to leave their homes by 2 p.m. EDT October 28 and move to safer ground.[96] The Philadelphia International Airport suspended all flight operations for October 29.[97] On October 29, Philadelphia shut down its mass transit system.[73] On October 28, Harrisburg Mayor Linda D. Thompson declared a state of disaster emergency for the city to go into effect at 5 a.m. October 29. Electric utilities in the state are bringing in crews and equipment from other states like New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, to assist with restoration efforts.[98] New York Avenue C in Manhattan's East Village was flooded shortly before a massive explosion at the Consolidated Edison power substation on the street took out power to the neighborhood[99]On October 28, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for every county in the state. He also asked for a pre-disaster declaration to better access federal assistance.[100] Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano ordered voluntary evacuations of the South Shore storm surge area, which includes the area south of Sunrise Highway and north of Route 25A and in elevations 15 feet above sea level or less on the North Shore.[101] Shelters were opened at Nassau Community College, Levittown Memorial High School, Locust Valley High School and SUNY Old Westbury. In Suffolk County, mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents of Fire Island and in surge zone areas in Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven, Riverhead, Southampton and Southold. Shelters were opened at Hampton Bays High School, Sachem East High School, and the Brentwood High School Sonderling Building.[102] Most schools closed in Nassau and Suffolk counties on October 29, including Nassau Community College, Molloy College, Hofstra University and Adelphi University.[103] On October 28, President Obama signed an emergency declaration for the state of New York.[104] The Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road suspended service beginning 7 p.m. October 27, which has not been fully restored as of November 2.[105] The Tappan Zee Bridge was closed October 29 at 4 p.m. EDT due to wind conditions.[106] New York City Portions of the FDR Drive remained flooded on the Tuesday morning after the stormOn October 26 Mayor Michael Bloomberg originally told reporters that the city had begun taking precautions but that at that time there was no call for mandatory evacuations and no plans to suspend the city's mass transit or cancel school. But on October 28 Governor Cuomo ordered the MTA including the subway closed, and in a press conference immediately after Cuomo's announcement, Mayor Bloomberg ordered public schools closed on October 29.[107] He also ordered mandatory evacuations for Zone A, which comprises Lower Manhattan, the Coney Island-Brighton Beach-Red Hook areas of Brooklyn, the entire Rockaways peninsula, most of Staten Island, and the City Island/Throg's Neck areas of the Bronx. All these areas are near coastlines or waterways.[108] On October 28, officials activated the city's coastal emergency plan, with subway closings and the evacuation of residents in areas hit during Hurricane Irene in August 2011. More than 76 evacuation shelters were open around the city.[100] The MTA announced that all subway, bus and commuter rail service would be suspended, beginning at 7 p.m. EDT on October 28.[109] Bus service had largely been restored by October 31, with subway service only partially restored by November 2. All PATH train service and stations were shutdown at 12:01 a.m., October 29.[107] 200 National Guard troops were deployed in the city. All bus carriers at the Port Authority Bus Terminal closed at 3 a.m., October 29.[110] U.S. stock trading was suspended for October 29–30.[111] All state courts were closed on October 29, except for arraignments and emergency applications. NYU Langone Medical Center cancelled all surgeries and medical procedures, except for emergency procedures.[110] Additionally, one of NYU Langone Medical Center's backup generators failed on October 29, 2012, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of patients, including those from the hospital's various intensive care units.[112] Major carriers canceled all flights into and out of JFK, LaGuardia and Newark-Liberty airports. Broadway theaters cancelled all October 28 evening and October 29 performances.[105] Grand Central Terminal, Central Park and Battery Park were closed on October 29. The Holland Tunnel and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel closed at 2 p.m. EDT on October 29. The Tappan Zee Bridge was closed later on that day.[113][114] All NYC schools were closed for the week of the hurricane. After many complaints, Mayor Bloomberg announced late afternoon November 2nd, the New York City Marathon has been cancelled. The event was to take place on Sunday, November 4th. Marathon officials say that they don't plan to reschedule.[115] New England Flooding in Marblehead, Massachusetts, caused by Hurricane Sandy on October 29.Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy partially activated the state's Emergency Operations Center on October 26[116] and signed a Declaration of Emergency the next day.[117] On October 28, President Obama approved Connecticut's request for an emergency declaration, and hundreds of National Guard personnel were deployed.[118] On October 29, Governor Malloy ordered road closures for all state highways.[119] Numerous mandatory and partial evacuations were issued in cities across Connecticut.[120] Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick ordered state offices to be closed October 29 and recommended schools and private businesses close. On October 28, President Obama issued a Pre-Landfall Emergency Declaration for Massachusetts. Several shelters were opened, and many schools were closed.[121][122] On October 28, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, and Maine's Governor Paul LePage all declared states of emergency.[73][123][124] Appalachia and the MidwestGreat Lakes regionThe National Weather Service issued a storm warning for Lake Huron on October 29 that called for wave heights of 26 feet, and possibly as high as 38 feet. Lake Michigan waves were expected to reach 19 feet, with a potential of 33 feet on October 30.[125] Flood warnings were issued in Chicago on October 29, where wave heights were expected to reach 18 to 23 feet along the Cook County shoreline and 25 feet in northwest Indiana.[126] Gale warnings were issued for Lake Michigan and Green Bay in Wisconsin until the morning of October 31, and waves of 33 feet in Milwaukee and 20 feet in Sheboygan were predicted for October 30.[127] The actual waves reached about 20 feet but were less damaging than expected.[128][129] The village of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin urged a voluntary evacuation of its lakefront area, though few residents signed up, and little flooding actually occurred.[129][127] Michigan was impacted by a winter storm system coming in from the west, mixing with cold air streams from the Arctic and colliding with Hurricane Sandy.[125] The forecasts slowed shipping traffic on the Great Lakes, as some vessels sought shelter away from the peak winds, while those more prepared for extreme weather (especially salties, or sea-going vessels) continued toward their destinations on the lakes.[130][131] 120,000 people were without power in southeast Michigan the morning of the October 30, with winds gusting to 50 mph.[132][133] Detroit-based DTE Energy says it has released 100 contract line workers to assist utilities along the eastern U.S. with storm response. Also CMS Energy Corp.'s Consumers Energy unit says the storm has also affected 1,200 of its 1.8 million Michigan customers.[134] Consumers Energy says it has released more than a dozen employees and 120 contract employees to assist in the eastern U.S.[135] Due to the widespread power outages, numerous schools had to close due to not having power, most being located in St. Clair County and areas along Lake Huron north of Metro Detroit. Wave heights on Lake Huron were reported to have reached 23 feet on the south side of the lake. Heights of 24 to 35 feet have been predicted.[134] Appalachian Mountains regionSnow was reported in some parts of eastern Ohio and south of Cleveland. Snow and icy roads also were reported south of Columbus.[136] As far as the state's western edge, areas were under a wind advisory.[137] All departing flights at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport were canceled until October 30 at 3 pm.[138] Gusts at Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport were reported at 68 miles per hour (109 km/h).[139] Hundreds of school districts cancelled or delayed school across the state with at least 250,000 homes and businesses without power.[136] Damage was reported across the state including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame which lost parts of its siding.[139] Several roads in Cleveland were closed including Interstate 90 westbound due to waves from Lake Erie crashing on the road.[140][141] West Virginia Governor Tomblin declared a state of emergency ahead of storm on October 29.[142] Up to 2 to 3 feet (0.6-0.9m) of snow forecast for mountainous areas of the state.[143] CanadaThe Canadian Hurricane Centre issued its first preliminary statement on Hurricane Sandy on October 25 from Southern Ontario to the Canadian Maritimes,[144] with the potential for rain and snow.[145] On October 29, Environment Canada issued severe wind warnings for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Valley corridor, from Southwestern Ontario as far as Quebec City.[146] On October 30, Environment Canada issued storm surge warnings along the mouth of the St. Lawrence River.[147] Rainfall warnings were issued for the Charlevoix region in Quebec, as well as for Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Yarmouth County, Shelburne County, and Queens County in Nova Scotia, as 50 to 70 millimetres of rain can be expected.[148][149][150] Freezing rain warnings were issued for parts of Northern Ontario.[151] Two people died in Ontario. A woman was hit by a sign, and a hydro worker was electrocuted. Thousands in Toronto and other parts of Ontario lost power.[152] ImpactCasualties and damages by country Country Fatalities Missing Damage (in USD) Sources United States 102 1 $50 billion (estimated) [153][154] [155] Haiti 54 21 Unknown [156][157] Cuba 11 0 $80 million [153][158] Bahamas 2 0 $300 million (estimated) [153][159] Canada 2 0 Unknown [160][161] Dominican Republic 2 0 Unknown [153] Jamaica 1 0 $55.23 million (estimated) [153][162] Bermuda 0 0 Unknown [153] Total 174 23 >$50 billion (estimated) At least 174 people have been confirmed killed across the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, and the Bahamas, as a result of the storm.[153][156][160][163][164] A hiker stranded on the Appalachian Trail was rescued on November 2.[165] CaribbeanMain article: Effects of Hurricane Sandy in the Greater Antilles Sandy was the first hurricane to directly hit Jamaica since Hurricane Gilbert, 24 years prior. Trees and power lines were snapped and shanty houses were heavily damaged, both from the winds and flooding rains. More than 100 fishermen were stranded in outlying Pedro Cays off Jamaica's southern coast.[166] Stones falling from a hillside crushed one man to death as he tried to get into his house in a rural village near Kingston.[167] The country's sole electricity provider, the Jamaica Public Service Company, reported that 70 percent of its customers were without power. More than 1,000 people went to shelters. Jamaican authorities closed the island's international airports, and police ordered 48-hour curfews in major towns to keep people off the streets and deter looting.[168] Most buildings in the eastern portion of the island lost their roofs.[169] Damage totaled $55.23 million throughout the country.[162] In Haiti, which was still recovering from both the 2010 earthquake and the ongoing cholera outbreak, at least 52 people have died,[170] and an estimated 200,000 were left homeless as of late Monday October 29, as a result of four days of ongoing rain from Hurricane Sandy.[171] Heavy damage occurred in Port-Salut after rivers overflowed their banks.[172] In the capital of Port-au-Prince, streets were flooded by the heavy rains, and it was reported that "the whole south of the country is underwater".[173] Most of the tents and buildings in the city's sprawling refugee camps and the Cité Soleil neighborhood were flooded or leaking, a repeat of what happened earlier in the year during the passage of Hurricane Isaac.[169] Crops were also wiped out by the storm and the country would be making an appeal for emergency aid.[174] In the neighboring Dominican Republic, two people were killed and 30,000 people evacuated.[153] An employee of CNN estimated 70% of the streets in Santo Domingo were flooded.[175] One person was killed in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico after being swept away by a swollen river.[153] Hurricane Sandy damage in Guantanamo BayAt least 55,000 people were evacuated before Hurricane Sandy's arrival.[176] While moving ashore, the storm produced waves up to 29 feet (9 meters) and a 6 foot (2 meter) storm surge that caused extensive coastal flooding.[177] There was widespread damage, particularly to Santiago de Cuba where 132,733 homes were damaged, of which 15,322 were destroyed and 43,426 lost their roof.[158] Electricity and water services were knocked out, and most of the trees in the city were damaged. Total losses throughout Santiago de Cuba province reached CUP2.1 billion (US$80 million).[158] Sandy killed 11 people in the country – nine in Santiago de Cuba Province and two in Guantánamo Province; most of the victims were trapped in destroyed houses.[178][179] This makes Sandy the deadliest hurricane to hit Cuba since 2005, when Hurricane Dennis killed 16 people.[180] BahamasA NOAA automated station at Settlement Point on Grand Bahama Island reported sustained winds of 49 mph (74 km/h) and a wind gust of 63 mph (102 km/h).[181] One person died from falling off his roof while attempting to fix a window shutter in the Lyford Cay area on New Providence. Another died in the Queen's Cove area on Grand Bahama Island where he drowned after the sea surge trapped him in his apartment.[153] Portions of the Bahamas lost power or cellular service, including an islandwide power outage on Bimini. Five homes were severely damaged near Williams's Town.[182] United States Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New JerseyOver twenty states were in one way or another affected by Sandy in the United States. The hurricane caused billions of dollars in damage in the United States, destroyed thousands of homes, left millions without electric service, and killed dozens. Due to flooding and other storm-related problems, Amtrak cancelled all Acela Express, Northeast Regional, Keystone Service and Shuttle services on October 29 and 30.[183][184] More than 13,000 flights were canceled across the U.S. on October 29, and more than 3,500 were called off October 30.[185] From October 27 through early November 1, airlines cancelled a total of 19,729 flights, according to FlightAware.[186] As of early morning on November 1, just over 4.8 million customers remained without power in 15 states and the District of Columbia, according to a CNN tally. The states with the most customers without power are New Jersey with 1,983,694 customers; New York with 1,514,147; Pennsylvania with 526,934; and Connecticut with 352,286.[187] The storm underlines the fragility of the aging American infrastructure, with an electricity network that is ranked lower than that of considerably poorer nations like Slovenia or Portugal.[188] Storm damage is projected to reach $50 billion, meaning it could be one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.[189][190] The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq reopened on October 31 after a two-day closure for storm.[191] More than 1,500 FEMA personnel are along the East Coast working to support disaster preparedness and response operations, including search and rescue, situational awareness, communications and logistical support. In addition, 28 teams comprised of 294 FEMA Corps members are pre-staged to support Sandy responders. Three federal urban search and rescue task forces are positioned in the Mid-Atlantic and ready to deploy as needed.[192] On November 2, the American Red Cross announced they have 4,000 disaster workers across storm damaged areas, with thousands more en route from other states. Nearly 7,000 people spent the night in emergency shelters across the region.[193] SoutheastFloridaHigh winds and waves washed sand onto coastal roads in southeastern Florida. The storm left power outages across the region, which left many traffic lights out of order.[194] The Coast Guard rescued two sea men in Volusia County off New Smyrna Beach on the morning of October 26.[195] Brevard and Volusia Counties schools cancelled all extracurricular activities for October 26, including football.[196] In east-central Florida, damage was minor, though the storm left about 1,000 people without power.[197] Airlines at Miami International Airport canceled more than 20 flights to or from Jamaica or the Bahamas, while some airlines flying from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport cancelled a total of 13 flights to the islands.[64] The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is looking for two juvenile panthers after a tree knocked over by Sandy's winds broke the enclosure housing the two cats at the White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee.[198] North Carolina The Bounty, a 180-foot sailing ship, is shown submerged in the Atlantic Ocean during Hurricane Sandy approximately 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, N.C., Monday, October 29, 2012.On October 28, Governor Bev Perdue declared a state of emergency in 24 western counties due to snow and strong winds.[199] North Carolina was spared from major damage through the late evening hours of October 28, though winds, rain, and inland snow could affect the state through October 30. Ocracoke and Highway 12 on Hatteras Island were flooded with up to 2 feet (0.6 m) of water, closing part of the highway, while 20 people on a fishing trip were stranded on Portsmouth Island.[200] On October 29, the Coast Guard responded to a distress call from the Bounty, which was built for the 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty. It was taking on water about 90 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras. Sixteen people were on board.[201] The Coast Guard said the 16 people abandoned ship and got into two lifeboats, wearing survival suits and life jackets.[202] The ship sank after the crew got off. As of mid-morning on October 29, the Coast Guard rescued 14. Another crew member was found hours later but was unresponsive and died later on. Only the captain remains missing.[189][203] On November 1, the Coast Guard suspended its search for Robin Walbridge the captain of the Bounty. The search lasted more than 90 hours, covering approximately 12,000 square nautical miles in the Atlantic Ocean.[155] VirginiaOn October 29, snow was falling in parts of the state.[143] Gov McDonnell announced on October 30 that Virginia had been "spared a significant event," but cited concerns about rivers cresting as flood waters go into the major arteries. Virginia was awarded a federal disaster declaration, with Gov McDonnell saying he was "delighted" that President Barack Obama and FEMA were on it immediately. At Sandy's peak, 200,000 customers were without power, and in Northern Virginia where most of the outages occurred 92,000 customers were still without power on October 30; the local utility intended to restore full service by 1 November.[204] Mid-AtlanticWashington, D.C.Main article: Effects of Hurricane Sandy in Maryland and Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court did not convene on Tuesday, October 30.[205] The United States Government Office of Personnel Management closed federal offices in the Washington D.C. area to the public on October 30 as well.Schools were closed for a second day as well. [206] MARC train and Virginia Railway Express are not running October 30, but on that day Metro rail and bus service will begin at 2 p.m., with all lines operating on a Sunday schedule until the system closes.[207] MarylandMain article: Effects of Hurricane Sandy in Maryland and Washington, D.C. At least 100 feet of a fishing pier at the beach resort of Ocean City was destroyed. Governor Martin O'Malley said the pier is "half-gone."[208] Due to high winds, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was closed, and subsequently opened. The Millard E. Tydings Memorial Bridge on I-95 across the Susquehanna River was closed; it was unclear whether this is the first time the Tydings Bridge has been closed.[209] Due to flooding, the Mayor of the City of Salisbury instituted a Civil Emergency and instituted a curfew beginning at 7pm on October 29 through 10am October 30.[210] I-68 in far western Maryland and northern West Virginia closed due to impassable roads from heavy snow. Multiple vehicles are stranded on the interstate and the National Guard was sent out to help.[211] Workers in Howard County, Maryland tried to stop a sewage overflow caused by a power outage October 30. Raw sewage spilled at a rate of 2 million gallons per hour. It was unclear how much sewage had flowed into the Little Patuxent River.[212] The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which had been closed because of Sandy's high winds, reopened the morning of October 30.[207] As of the morning of November 2, 28,600 are without power, down from 365,700.[213] DelawareRainfall at Rehoboth Beach totaled 6.53 inches inches by early afternoon, with nearly 7 inches at Indian River Inlet and more than 4 inches in Dover and Bear. At 4 p.m., Delmarva Power reported on its website that more than 13,900 customers in Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore had lost electric service as high winds brought down trees and power lines. About 3,500 of those are in New Castle County, 2,900 in Sussex and more than a hundred in Kent County. The Delaware Electric Cooperative reported more than 1,800 customers out in Kent and Sussex, with the longest outage nearly 6 hours. The Delaware Memorial Bridge speed limit was reduced to 25 mph and the two outer lanes in each direction were closed. Officials plan to close the span entirely if sustained winds exceed 50 mph. President Obama declared Delaware a federal disaster area, providing money and agencies for disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Delaware Route 1 is now closed by flooding from Dewey Beach to Fenwick Island. Water a foot or two deep is reported in Dewey. A wind gust of 64 mph was measured at Lewes just before 2:30 p.m.[214] On November 2nd, the main coastal highway remains closed and about 400 customs have no power down from 45,000.[215] New JerseyMain article: Effects of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey Flooding and damage along Albany Avenue in Atlantic CityA 50-foot piece of the Atlantic City Boardwalk washed away. Half the city of Hoboken flooded; the city of 50,000 had to evacuate two of its fire stations and the city's Mayor asked for National Guard help.[189] In the early morning of October 30, authorities in Bergen County, New Jersey, evacuated residents after a berm overflowed and flooded several communities. Police Chief of Staff Jeanne Baratta said there were up to five feet of water in the streets of Moonachie and Little Ferry. The state Office of Emergency Management said rescues were undertaken in Carlstadt.[216] Baratta said the three towns had been "devastated" by the flood of water.[217] At least 14 people in the state were killed.[218] PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said the city will have no mass transit operations on any lines October 30.[192] All major highways in and around the city of Philadelphia were closed on October 29 during the hurricane, including Interstate 95, the Blue Route portion of Interstate 476, the Vine Street Expressway, Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), and U.S. Route 1.[219] The highways reopened at 4 a.m. on October 30.[219] The Delaware River Port Authority also closed its major crossings over the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey due to high winds, including the Commodore Barry Bridge, the Walt Whitman Bridge, the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Betsy Ross Bridge.[219] More than 1.2 million were reportedly left without power as a result of the storm. As of the morning of November 2nd, 372,000 customer are without power, down from 1.2 million.[220] On November 2, Pennsylvania reported 13 deaths believed to be related to Sandy according to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.[221] New YorkMain article: Effects of Hurricane Sandy in New York Governor Cuomo has called up another 1,000 National Guard members to help in the state. One of the units at Indian Point nuclear power plant (Unit #3) was shut down around 10:45 p.m. October 29, because of external electrical grid issues according to plant operator Entergy.[222] Storm impacts in Upstate New York were much more limited than in New York City; there was some flooding and a few downed trees, but many fewer than during the Western and Northern NY Ice Storm of March 3–4, 1991.[223] Rochester area utilities reported slightly fewer than 19,000 customers without power, in seven counties.[224] Large portions of the Manhattan borough of New York City were without electricityMayor Bloomberg announced New York City public schools will be closed Tuesday, October 30 and Wednesday, October 31.[225] CUNY and NYU have cancelled all classes and campus activities for October 30.[226] The New York Stock Exchange was closed for trading for two days, the first weather closure of the exchange since 1985.[227] It was also the first two-day weather closure since the Great Blizzard of 1888.[228] The East River, shown from Manhattan's East River Park, had already swollen to its bank by 11 a.m. on October 29.The East River overflowed its banks, flooding large sections of Lower Manhattan. Battery Park had a water surge of 13.88 ft.[229] Seven subway tunnels under the East River were flooded as of October 30.[230] The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said early on October 30, that the destruction caused by the storm was the worst disaster in the 108 year history of the New York City subway system.[231] Sea water flooded the Ground Zero construction site.[232] New EnglandMain article: Effects of Hurricane Sandy in New England Destroyed billboard in Kenmore Square in Boston, MassachusettsWind gusts to 83 mph were recorded on outer Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay.[233] Over 385,000 customers were without power in Massachusetts, and roads and buildings were flooded.[234] Over 100,000 customers lost power in Rhode Island.[235] Most of the damage was along the coastline, where some communities were flooded.[236] Mount Washington, New Hampshire saw the strongest measured wind gust from the storm at 140 mph.[237] Over 200,000 customers lost power in the state.[238][239][240] AppalachiaWest VirginiaSandy's rain became snow in the Appalachian mountains when a dip in the polar jet stream sent a blast of Arctic air through the region. This would normally cause a Nor'easter, prompting some to dub Sandy a "nor'eastercane" or "Frankenstorm." [241] There were 1–3 feet of snowfall in 28 of the state's 52 counties with the highest snowfall reports from Sandy so far being 28 inches (as of 11 PM on October 30) at Davis, West Virginia and at Flat Top, West Virginia, 36 inches in Richwood, WV and 32 inches at Snowshoe.[242][243] On October 30, President Obama approved a state of emergency declaration for the state.[244] On Wednesday morning, there were still 36 roads closed due to downed trees, powerlines, and snow in the road.[243] More than 200,000 customers lost power during the blizzard conditions.[245] A statement from the power company supplying the hardest hit region indicated that most West Virginians would have power restored by early the week after the storm, but it would be longer for customers in remote areas due to difficult terrain and heavy snow.[246] John Rose, Sr., the Republican candidate for the state's 47th district in the state legislature, was killed in the aftermath of the storm by a falling tree limb broken off by the heavy snowfall.[247] There were six confirmed deaths as of the morning of November 1, including Rose. It is still difficult to assess the damage in the remote areas, accessible only by impassable back roads, that lost power and communications, but there are reports of collapsed buildings in several counties due to the sheer weight of the wet, heavy snow.[248] The governor asked President Obama for a federal disaster declaration after nearly 3 feet of snow. As of the morning of November 2, 104,000 customers remain without power, down from about 271,000.[249] Other AreasOhioOn October 30, at least 247,000 in northeast Ohio were without power, mostly in the Cleveland area. Many schools were closed or delayed as the hurricane brought high winds and the season's first snow to some parts of the state overnight.[250] As of November 2, scores of residents still remain in Red Cross shelters and many schools remain closed as power outages exist around Cleveland and 89,000 customers remain without power in mostly the northeast part of the state, down from more than 250,000.[251] MichiganDTE Energy said that more than 120,000 customers lost power, and Consumers Energy reported the same for 1,200 of its customers. The National Weather Service said that waves up to 23 feet high were reported on southern Lake Huron.[252] As of the morning of November 2nd, 5,000 customers are without power, down from 154,000.[253] KentuckyThe greatest area impacted was the Eastern region of the state where more than a foot of snow fell as Sandy merged with an Arctic front.[254] BermudaOwing to the sheer size of the storm, Sandy also impacted Bermuda with high winds and heavy rains. On October 28, an F1 tornado touched down in Sandys Parish, damaging homes and businesses.[255] During a three-day span, the storm produced 0.98 in (25 mm) of rain at the L.F. Wade International Airport. The strongest winds were recorded on October 29: sustained winds reached 37 mph (60 km/h) and gusts peaked at 58 mph (93 km/h).[256] CanadaMain article: Effects of Hurricane Sandy in Canada The remnants of Sandy produced high winds along Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, where gusts were measured at 105 km/h (63 mph). A 121 km/h (72 mph) gust was measured on top of the Bluewater Bridge.[257] One woman was killed after being hit by a piece of flying debris in Toronto.[160] At least 145,000 customers across Ontario lost power as of the morning of October 30,[258] and a Bluewater Power worker was electrocuted in Sarnia while working to restore power.[259] Around 49,000 homes and businesses lost power in Quebec during the storm, with nearly 40,000 of those in the Laurentides region of the province, as well as more than 4,000 customers in the Eastern Townships and 1,700 customers in Montreal.[260] Hundreds of flights were canceled.[261] Around 14,000 customers in Nova Scotia lost power during the height of the storm.[262] ========== FACTBOX-NY Harbor oil terminals, refineries crippled by Sandy Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:37 GMT Source: reuters // Reuters Nov 12 (Reuters) - New York Harbor operations struggled to return to normal on Monday, with some signs of progress in restoring normal flows through the biggest and most important oil-trading hub in the country. As fuel shortages and long queues continued to plague the New York City and Long Island areas, the city on Friday began to ration gasoline for the first time since the 1970's, following a similar move by New Jersey. Hess Corp said on Thursday it had completed post-Sandy assessments at its 70,000 barrel per day (bpd) Port Reading, New Jersey, refinery, but was unable to set a time frame for restarting the plant due to repairs needed by the local power authority. Public Services Enterprise Group said on Monday power had been restored to the substation feeding the plant. The 238,000 barrel-per-day plant owned by Phillips 66 in Bayway, New Jersey, will likely be shut for another two to three weeks as repairs are carried out, primarily on electrical equipment damaged by saltwater. Some 28 percent of gas stations in the New York metropolitan area did not have gasoline available for sale on Friday, the same as the day before, according to the Department of Energy's data arm. KEY DEVELOPMENTS ON MONDAY: * New Jersey power company PSEG said it restored powered to an electrical substation that supplies electricity to Hess Corp.'s Port Reading, New Jersey plant. * Phillips 66 said it had no new timeframe for the restart of the Bayway refinery, and said flaring at the plant on Sunday was related to preparation for resuming operations. * New Jersey government says it will end gasoline rationing on Tuesday at 6 a.m. (1100 GMT). KEY DEVELOPMENTS ON SUNDAY: * Kinder Morgan said all of its facilities were moving product inbound and outbound with limited marine operations restored at its Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York, terminals. KEY DEVELOPMENTS ON FRIDAY: * COLONIAL PIPELINE said that although its system returned to "maximum rates," the situation in New Jersey had "not returned to normal" due to infrastructure problems that could lead to additional slowdowns or shutdowns. It said problems included damage to customer facilities, road closures and power supply problems. KEY DEVELOPMENTS ON THURSDAY: * HESS CORP said it still does not have a time frame for restarting its 70,000 bpd refinery in Port Reading after completing an assessment of refinery equipment, which is now on standby. "The local power authority ... advised that repairs will be needed to a local substation before sufficient power is available to support the refinery's start-up process," it said. "A timeframe for the refinery's restart will be determined once the full power requirement can be met." A brief power outage on Thursday forced it to stop marine and rack loading at Port Reading. The company said marine and rack operations at its Bayonne, New Jersey, terminal were still suspended on Thursday. Marine operations at its Newark, New Jersey, terminal also remained suspended. All other Hess terminals continued to operate. * New York City Mayor MICHAEL BLOOMBERG on Thursday ordered the rationing of gasoline sold in the city. * BLOOMBERG also waived the requirement that buildings and homes in New York City utilize heating oil with sulfur content of less than 0.15 parts per million, effective through Dec. 7. * MOTIVA ENTERPRISES restarted rack operations from its terminal in Sewaren, New Jersey. * BUCKEYE PIPELINE said a terminal had a temporary power outage at Inwood, but continued operations on standby generators. Power has since been restored, the company said. KEY DEVELOPMENTS ON WEDNESDAY: * A NOR'EASTER blew into areas affected by Hurricane Sandy and dropped record snow in New York and New Jersey, complicating the energy network's recovery. * COMMERCIAL STOCKPILES of gasoline in the U.S. central Atlantic, which covers four states, including New York and New Jersey, slipped by only 310,000 barrels last week, government data showed. KEY DEVELOPMENTS ON TUESDAY: * MERCINI LADY, a 47,000-tonne clean oil tanker, was heading out of New York harbor after discharging off the southwestern shore of Manhattan, shipping data showed. BP had chartered the Liberian-flagged tanker to carry fuel from Texas to Montreal, but it was later diverted to the New York harbor after the U.S. government authorized waivers to the Jones Act, allowing non-U.S. vessels to transit between U.S. ports. * KINDER MORGAN, which had resumed limited operations at its Carteret and Perth Amboy terminals in New Jersey on Monday, said about 238 barrels (some 10,000 gallons) of biodiesel leaked from its Carteret terminal into nearby Rum Creek and reached the Arthur Kill waterway. It said the spill was contained within a day of the storm. It has resumed limited marine operations at Carteret and hopes to do so soon for Perth Amboy and Staten Island. EAST COAST REFINERIES: COMPANY PLANT CAPACITY STATUS (bpd) PBF Energy Delaware City, 190,000 Operations normal. Delaware PBF Energy Paulsboro, New 180,000 Operations normal. Jersey Hess Corp Port Reading, New 70,000 On standby. Unable to resume operations until local utility Jersey completes repairs to substation, Hess said on Nov. 8. No time frame for resuming full operations. PSEG says has restored power to substation. Philadelphia Philadelphia, 330,000 Company said on Nov. 2 it would be back to normal schedules Energy Solutions Pennsylvania that weekend after delays in crude deliveries. Monroe Energy Trainer, 185,000 All units running normally after turnaround, full rates seen Pennsylvania within several days. Phillips 66 Linden, New Jersey 238,000 Shut down. Phillips 66 said on Nov. 5 it is likely to be two-three weeks to restart. Imperial Oil Ltd Sarnia, Ontario 121,000 Returning to normal service as of Oct. 31 after power outage. NEW YORK HARBOR OIL TERMINALS STILL SHUT BY SANDY: COMPANY CITY STATE CAPACITY (bbls) Update Date Hess Bayonne NJ 11/6/2012 Hess Newark* NJ 11/6/2012 Motiva Newark NJ 1,113,000 10/31/2012 Phillips 66 Tremley Point** NJ 11/3/2012 Motiva Brooklyn NY 10/31/2012 Motiva Long Island NY 222,000 10/31/2012 * Rack operations normal. Hess owns 20 terminals with an aggregate storage capacity of 21 million barrels in its East Coast marketing areas. ** Phillips 66 said it expected the Tremley Point terminal to resume limited operations by the end of November. TERMINALS WITH REDUCED OPERATIONS: Colonial Pipeline Linden NJ Open, commercial power 11/4/2012 back, serving 8 terminals IMTT Bayonne NJ 16,000,000 Half of the facilities are 11/5/2012 fully operational Motiva Bridgeport CT 1,290,000 Open with reduced 11/4/2012 operations Hess Groton CT 812,185 Process of restarting 11/3/2012 Hess Edgewater, NJ Resumed as of Weds 11/8/2012 Hess Woodbridge, NJ Resumed as of Weds 11/8/2012 Hess Pennsauken NJ Process of restarting 11/3/2012 Kinder Morgan Carteret, NJ 7,833,080 Generator power, limited 11/5/2012 operations/shipments; marine ops resumed Kinder Morgan Perth Amboy, NJ 3,543,388 Limited marine ops restored 11/11/2012 Kinder Morgan Staten Island, NY 2,959,700 Limited marine ops restored 11/11/2012 NuStar Energy Linden, NJ 4.1 mln bbls Restored "limited" pipeline 11/05/2012 and barge deliveries TERMINALS REPORTED OPEN BY COMPANIES COMPANY LOCATION STATE CAPACITY UPDATE AS OF Kinder Morgan Philadelphia PA 11,878,462 11/4/2012 Magellan Midstream Wilmington DE 2,842,000 11/4/2012 Magellan Midstream New Haven CT 4,000,000 11/4/2012 Motiva New Haven CT 1,600,000 11/4/2012 Motiva Baltimore MD 1,100,000 11/4/2012 Motiva Fairfax VA 360,000 11/4/2012 Motiva Richmond VA 210,000 11/4/2012 Motiva Providence RI 1,458,000 11/4/2012 Motiva Sewaren NJ 5,000,000 11/8/2012 NuStar Energy Paulsboro NJ 90,800 11/4/2012 NuStar Energy Virginia Beach VA 40,000 11/4/2012 NuStar Energy Dumfries VA 11/4/2012 NuStar Energy Piney Point MD 5,403,000 11/4/2012 NuStar Energy Andrews AFB MD 11/4/2012 NuStar Energy Baltimore MD 832,000 11/4/2012 Phillips 66 Riverhead NY 11/4/2012 Hess Brooklyn NY 11/4/2012 BP Carteret NJ 1,445,000 11/4/2012 Hess Perth Amboy NJ 11/6/2012 Hess Roseton NY 11/6/2012 TERMINALS REPORTED OPEN BY DOE: Global Partners Inwood NY 11/4/12 Global Partners Newburgh NY 11/4/12 Global Partners Oyster Bay NY 11/4/12 Castle Port Morris Bronx NY 846,000 11/4/12 Gulf Oil New Haven CT 11/4/12 Northville Industries Port Jefferson NY 11/4/12 Schildwachter Oil Bronx NY 11/4/12 Buckeye Terminals, LLC Linden + NY 4,000,000 11/4/12 Inwood Carbo Industries, Inc. Inwood, Long NY 5,900,000 11/4/12 Island OTHER TERMINALS IN NEW YORK HARBOR AREA: COMPANY LOCATION CAPACITY STATUS Center Point Terminal Company New Jersey, NY Harbor 1,018,300 Unknown CITGO Petroleum Corp. Linden, NJ 3,669,250 Unknown Getty Terminals Corp. New Jersey, NY Harbor 1,018,300 Unknown Getty Terminals Corp. Bronx, NY 23,000 Unknown Gulf Oil, Limited Partnership Linden, NJ 568,374 Unknown Lorco Petroleum Services New Jersey, NY Harbor 476,190 Unknown Metro Terminals Corp. Brooklyn, NY 207,000 Unknown Sprague Energy Corporation Long Island, NY 80,263 Unknown Sunoco Logistics Partners, LP New Jersey, NY Harbor 505,457 Unknown (Reporting by Erwin Seba, Selam Gebrekidan, Joshua Schneyer, Janet McGurty, Edward McAllister and Jonathan Spicer in New York; Editing by Phil Berlowitz, Gary Hill and Sofina Mirza-Reid) ================ Exclusive: New Jersey railway put trains in Sandy flood zone despite warnings Sat, Nov 17 21:08 PM EST 1 of 5 By Janet Roberts and Ryan McNeill and Robin Respaut NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Jersey Transit's struggle to recover from Superstorm Sandy is being compounded by a pre-storm decision to park much of its equipment in two rail yards that forecasters predicted would flood, a move that resulted in damage to one-third of its locomotives and a quarter of its passenger cars. That damage is likely to cost tens of millions of dollars and take many months to repair, a Reuters examination has found. The Garden State's commuter railway parked critical equipment - including much of its newest and most expensive stock - at its low-lying main rail yard in Kearny just before the hurricane. It did so even though forecasters had released maps showing the wetland-surrounded area likely would be under water when Sandy's expected record storm surge hit. Other equipment was parked at its Hoboken terminal and rail yard, where flooding also was predicted and which has flooded before. Among the damaged equipment: nine dual-powered locomotive engines and 84 multi-level rail cars purchased over the past six years at a cost of about $385 million. "If there's a predicted 13-foot or 10-foot storm surge, you don't leave your equipment in a low-lying area," said David Schanoes, a railroad consultant and former deputy chief of field operations for Metro North Railroad, a sister railway serving New York State. "It's just basic railroading. You don't leave your equipment where it can be damaged." After Reuters made numerous inquiries to state and local officials this week about the decision to store equipment in the yards, an unidentified senior transportation official told the New York Post that NJ Transit had launched an internal probe, the Post reported on Saturday. NJ Transit Chairman James S. Simpson, the state's transportation commissioner, told Reuters on Saturday he knew of no such investigation. NJ Transit spokesman John Durso said the agency had not launched a probe but would examine its response to the storm, as "is standard procedure following any major incident." The Post said it stood by its story. As of Friday, almost three weeks after the storm, the agency was still struggling to restore full service for its 136,000 daily rail commuters, running just 37 trains into New York Penn Station during the morning rush hour, rather than its usual 63. More service will be restored on Monday. The disruptions have caused long delays and crowded trains for Jersey residents who work in the biggest U.S. city. James Weinstein, NJ Transit's executive director, said he did not expect the loss of equipment to have a significant effect on service in the coming weeks and months. Sandy was a storm of rare ferocity, and some damage was inevitable. High winds and a crushing storm surge damaged every conceivable element of the rail system. The massive, slow-moving storm, which came ashore near Atlantic City, sent boats crashing into a key rail bridge and gigantic trees toppling onto wires and tracks. A rush of seawater washed out miles of coastline track and a switch that directs some of NJ Transit's most heavily traveled rail lines into New York City. Floodwaters zapped the computer system that guides trains and alerts passengers; damaged a substation that powers much of the agency's main artery into the city; coursed into one of the two tunnels that funnel its trains under the Hudson River; and left a major hub in Hoboken under nine feet of water and five feet of mud. Still, some of the damage could have been avoided with better planning, railroad experts say. YARD IN A SWAMPY CROOK Most of the avoidable damage came at NJ Transit's Meadows Maintenance Complex, a sprawling 78-acre network of tracks and buildings in an industrial area of Kearny that is surrounded by wetlands. The complex is the primary maintenance center for the agency's locomotives and rail cars, with both outdoor and indoor equipment storage; repair, servicing, cleaning, inspection and training facilities; and the agency's rail operations center, which houses computers involved in the movement of trains and communication with passengers. The yard sits in the swampy crook where the Passaic and Hackensack rivers come together. Elevation maps show that it lies between 0 and 19 feet above sea level. The National Hurricane Center was predicting a storm surge of 6 to 11 feet along the New Jersey and New York coast on top of an unusual tide that already had the rivers running high. Forecasts were that the storm would make landfall on Monday, October 29, somewhere along the New Jersey or New York coast. On Friday, October 26, executives from the New York City subway system and all of the region's commuter rail systems - NJ Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Metro North Railroad - decided they would halt all service Sunday night. NJ Transit's last trains left their originating stations at 11 p.m. on Sunday, and workers spent the next 12 hours securing equipment, said Weinstein. At NJ Transit's emergency command center, reports streamed in from the governor's command center in Trenton, county emergency management officials and the National Weather Service, which provided frequent updates on the storm's progress. Monitoring those reports and advising the agency on what to expect from the storm was NJ Transit Police Capt. Robert Noble, who is well-versed and trained in monitoring storms, Weinstein said. Noble said he monitored weather reports for all of the agency's bus lots and rail yards statewide. Flooding was predicted for virtually every corner of the system, he said. "Based upon the information we had at that hour, the complex was not the highest-threat location that we had," he said. Yet a Reuters review of information disseminated before the storm found detailed maps issued by the National Hurricane Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, all warning that both the rail hub in Hoboken and the Meadows complex in Kearny would flood. Asked if NJ Transit executives saw those maps and factored the predictions into their decision-making, Weinstein said the agency considered the storm surge predictions but also relied on history and experience. FORECASTS PROVED HIGHLY ACCURATE The agency has been operating its Meadows complex since the 1980s, and it had never flooded, not even during Hurricane Floyd, which caused record flooding in New Jersey in 1999, said Kevin O'Connor, vice president and general manager of rail operations. Several former NJ Transit employees who worked there for decades said they could not recall any time it had flooded. A map of the storm surge from Hurricane Irene in August 2011, prepared by the FEMA, shows water came within about 400 yards of the rail complex. O'Connor said employees had trouble getting to the complex during that storm because surrounding roads had flooded, but the water never encroached on the rail yard. "Our experience and all of the information we had led us to conclude that our equipment was in the safest possible place," Weinstein said. "There was no reason for us to think that the kind of flooding that we actually experienced would happen there." But this time, the weather forecasters proved right, and history proved wrong. Maps of the forecasters' predictions, compared with those of the actual storm surge, show the computer models were remarkably accurate. Tides added another 4.5 feet of water to the storm surge in the area, said Philip Orton, research scientist in physical oceanography and specialist in storm surges at Stevens Institute of Technology. Given the value of the equipment stored at the Meadows yard during the storm, it is hard to imagine why NJ Transit executives gambled that history would repeat itself, said Alain Kornhauser, director of the Transportation Research Center at Princeton University. Weinstein said he could not yet put a dollar amount on the damage. A Reuters review of Board of Directors meeting minutes and news accounts describing equipment purchases found the damaged locomotives and passenger cars worth about $900 million. Kornhauser was especially critical that nine new dual-motor engines, which together cost more than $107 million, had been left in an area predicted to flood. Even if the risk of flooding had been infinitesimal, he said, the agency's newest, most expensive equipment should have been moved to higher ground. "What do you do with your personal valuable assets when you hear a hurricane is coming?" he said. "You put them in your pocket and get out of there, don't you? You don't need to be a rocket scientist for that one, do you?" NJ Transit's sister railroads in New York did move their rolling stock to higher ground on the Sunday night before the storm. After consulting "slosh maps," which predicted which areas would flood, Long Island Rail Road moved hundreds of train engines and cars from its huge Westside Yard just west of Penn Station in New York City and other low-lying yards scattered across its system, said Joe Calderone, the railroad's vice president of public affairs. Much of the equipment was moved to a large rail yard at Jamaica, Queens. What wouldn't fit in yards deemed safe from flooding was parked on the main line and other high-elevation tracks. No LIRR locomotives or rail cars were damaged, Calderone said. None of New York City's subway cars were damaged during Sandy. The yards at Coney Island, the largest yard in the system, and the Rockaways were emptied before the storm, with equipment moved to other yards or parked on lines not vulnerable to flooding, spokesman Kevin Ortiz said. Metro North was so concerned about the potential storm surge on the Hudson River that it asked National Weather Service forecasters to run computer models to predict whether certain yards would flood. Railroad executives then used those predictions to decide where to move equipment, said Howard Permut, the railroad's president. "We had direct conversations with some of the forecasters themselves," he said. "They ran a bunch of models for that." Some stock was exposed nevertheless. North of New York City, in Croton-on-Hudson, the storm surge from the Hudson River flooded Metro North's Harmon rail yard. There, workers had moved equipment to the northernmost point of the yard in an effort to keep it dry, said spokeswoman Marjorie Anders. Still, two locomotives and 11 passenger cars were damaged, she said. SALTWATER, 5 FEET DEEP NJ Transit's Meadows yard was particularly vulnerable. The National Hurricane Center's models from 7 a.m. on the Saturday before the storm predicted water would lap at its edge. By 7 p.m. Sunday, some models predicted most of the yard would flood. That night, NJ Transit began moving rail cars and locomotives there. By 11 a.m. Monday, scores of locomotives and hundreds of rail cars awaited the storm in the Meadows yard. NJ Transit has 203 locomotives and 1,162 rail cars, and 62 locomotives and 261 rail cars were damaged. That amounts to 24 percent of the fleet. All but 15 percent or 20 percent of the damaged stock was flooded at the Meadows yard, said Durso, the NJT spokesman. The rest were in Hoboken, which also saw severe flooding. Durso said he could not provide specific counts of damaged equipment by location. Weinstein and O'Connor were at the Meadows complex on Monday afternoon during the storm, Weinstein said, and they remained confident in their decision. "There was no reason for anybody to believe that the flooding was going to be anything close to what we experienced," he said. By late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, it became clear they had miscalculated. Water had surrounded the maintenance buildings by 10 p.m., Durso said. By 2 a.m., water had come inside, and employees called O'Connor to tell him about it. The water was as deep as five feet in some of the complex's maintenance areas, Weinstein said. Out in the yard, it was deep enough to submerge automobiles. Salt water rose above the wheel wells of the locomotives and rail cars, engulfing brakes, electrical systems, heating and air-conditioning units, batteries and traction motors that help power the cars and soaking insulation panels and seat cushions. Some of the equipment, Weinstein said, had already been taken out of service for repairs before the storm. Some of the repair work is already under way. He said he could not yet estimate the cost or time to repair the equipment. Metro North expects to spend more than $100,000 repairing each of its damaged rail cars, Anders said. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority spent about $1.5 million repairing one locomotive and 12 passenger cars that flooded during Hurricane Irene, said Ron Hopkins, SEPTA's assistant general manager for operations. The work took more than a year. Should NJ Transit's costs be similar, they would face a repair bill of more than $32 million. Weinstein said all of his attention to date has been on restoring service, and he has not had time to reflect on lessons learned. But both he and Governor Chris Christie say there will be a review of the agency's response to the storm. "You can prepare for a worst-case scenario, but the standard of preparedness was definitely raised by this storm," said Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak. "As we did post-Hurricane Irene, we will be evaluating how we did and where we can improve, and make changes for the future. But, again, this was a hit of historic proportions." (Additional reporting by Melanie Hicken; research by Lisa Schwartz; Editing by Maurice Tamman and Michael Williams) =================