Hurricane Sandy – The Superstorm (2012)

02/12/2025 5 min Episodio 34
Hurricane Sandy – The Superstorm (2012)

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Episode Synopsis

In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy evolved into a massive hybrid storm — part hurricane, part nor’easter — and slammed into the U.S. East Coast with unprecedented power. Stretching nearly 1,000 miles, Sandy generated a 14-foot storm surge that flooded New York City’s subways, shut down hospitals, and plunged Lower Manhattan into darkness.
New Jersey’s coastal towns were devastated, with homes swept away, boardwalks destroyed, and entire neighborhoods submerged. In Queens, a storm-driven electrical fire burned more than 120 homes in Breezy Point, while Staten Island suffered some of the storm’s deadliest impacts as residents were overwhelmed by surging waves.
Sandy killed over 160 people, caused $70 billion in damage, and left millions without power. The storm exposed the vulnerability of modern coastal cities and triggered major infrastructure changes, including floodwalls, reinforced dunes, elevated electrical systems, and redesigned transit entrances.
More than a natural disaster, Sandy became a warning about rising seas and the growing power of climate-amplified storms — a moment when one of the world’s most advanced cities was forced to confront the unstoppable strength of nature.