Hurricane Sandy ravages Long Island

When Hurricane Sandy hit Long Island she was not in a good mood!

Monday night the winds picked up to 80 mile-an-hour gusts and knocking out the lights. When they went out, it was fun for about an hour then it became very boring and creepy.

The next day, we saw the wreckage. It looked like a giant stepped on us. Trees were down everywhere and wires were tangled. Generously, our neighbors lent us a generator for the night but we got very lucky and our power came on. Many in my town are not so lucky. Wednesday became recovery day and putting back together our lives. Streets were blocked and traffic lights were out which made driving really dangerous.

All week we have not had school. I was lucky and we still went trick or treating, but very carefully. All day you hear chainsaws and generators buzzing everywhere you go. People flocked to the local shopping center to get cell phone service and wifi. After the storm, nearly 90 percent of Long Island lost power. Many houses on the south shore are underwater and people have lost everything. Long Beach was especially hard hit. The storm changed the landscape of Long Island.

People with power are helping those without by letting them take showers and charge devices. So many are reaching out to help each others. Local food stores are collecting food for those who have lost everything.

While neighbors focus on recovery, another big problem has sprung up: Since the harbors were closed, there is a gas shortage. People have begun to panic. Yesterday, lines at gas stations were hours long! We waited at one where the police were called because people were fighting. Today, lines are still long but most has stations either don't have power or are out of gas.

Intersections without power have had stop signs added to help cutdown on the traffic accidents. We hope to be back to school Monday and things start to get back to normal.

Hurricane Sandy was truly a Frankenstorm!

—Kid Reporter William Russell

Photo: A downed tree lies in the road in Long Island. (Courtesy William Russell)

Comments

[Kate]

Great article, William! Very informative but with a personal point of view too. Good job reporting :-)