'Round the World Weather Report

[Professional Tourist]

Well, I'm okay, no loss of electricity or water here. I did lose internet connection late last night, but this morning I reset my modem and it came back on. Manhattan south of midtown, as has been mention above, did not fare so well, due to an explosion at a Con Edison substation. A couple of people have been killed in their homes, one was electrocuted and one when a tree fell on his house. I've seen photos of large trees wholly uprooted -- not just falling branches -- and crushing cars or whatever was in their way.

A major fire in a flooded area of Queens has destroyed many homes, even though the area was flooded, because fire-fighting equipment can't use salt water and there wasn't enough fresh water available. The high winds spread the fire from house to house.

Subway tunnels have been flooded, so full service will probably not be restored by tomorrow morning when most of us will go back to work. There may be partial service.

This page has a lot of good updates for those interested, including photos and videos:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012 ... sandy.html

[Rita Hayworth]

Thanks for updates ... Professional Tourist ... and some of the stuff I seen in the News is unbelievable. I just want Sandy to go away for all of you back there.

[JackFavell]

Andrew told me about the Bounty this morning it's so sad. I can't understand why anyone was on board in this weather?

We are fine, we were in the only section of Mystic NOT to lose power. A hotel in an area about 4 miles away had the roof blow off, our downtown area went underwater, I'm not sure how far, and an evacuation center in a nearby town was leaking so they had to transfer people in the middle of the storm. Stonington village which is out on a point of land was turned into an island for a while, and there is a huge pine tree down on our street, blocking traffic in both directions. Across from our house is a small woods, and one tree must have gone down in the storm, though we didn't hear it. Three or four small trees near it lost their tops - they are now just sticks of wood, sticking up like ragged church spires into the air. We'll get a lot of sun next year in our front yard, but the hawks won't have anywhere to roost, looking for food.

I went for a walk this morning and the streets down by the water are remarkably clear. Looks like the water came up further than with Irene, it was a big surge I guess but it took everything back out to sea with it. We found someone's collection of signed baseballs in a hedge along the water.

[movieman1957]

Comparatively, we had very little trouble in my area. There is a report of a man in my town killed by a fallen tree but my world is pretty calm.

I am grateful that you and the NY gang made it through well. The worst will be those poor people in Queens with those fires. It will likely take at least a year to put that back together again and who knows how long the put their emotional well being back together.

[JackFavell]

I'm glad you all made it OK!

Now I am watching the news the people hardest hit are those around Old Saybrook, Fairfield, and near us, Groton and New London. Any towns along the water... those people have only just gotten back on their feet after Irene, some of them spent their life savings to get their homes repaired last year, even with insurance, and they don't know how to rebuild now when they have nothing left.

[MissGoddess]

it's sad to hear the stories coming in. a few people who work in my department live in the Rockaways and Queens as well as New Jersey. Haven't heard from them. I'll go to work tomorrow and find out what happened.

[JackFavell]

Oh gosh the Rockaways really got hit as well the tragic events in Queens! I'm just happy today that those I know are OK. Even my sister who for some reason decided to go to Delaware this week is totally fine.

[MissGoddess]

It's going to be an interesting week for the East Coast. At least they were as prepared as they could be, and as long as everyone cooperates with the authorities, hopefully the clean-up and repairs can be effected quickly and people have shelter and food. It's not like Katrina or Haiti, thank heavens. Though I hear the Governor thinks New York City now ought to have a breakwater.

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm glad you've come through it OK, it's very sad about all the people who have lost lives or had their homes destroyed and the Bounty too, what were people doing on it in this weather? I hope you've been through the worst of it.

[JackFavell]

I read that the Bounty captain and crew were trying to make it to Florida? I think it was, and they were convinced that they could go around the storm... they were even quoted as saying that it was NOT a foolish thing to do, that they had thought it out very carefully and knew they could do it. Shades of the Titanic?

[Rita Hayworth]

I heard the NEWS that New York Subway cleanup will be biggest challenge in its 108 years of existance.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ ... story.html

It may takes weeks to cleanup because of the salt water in the subway system ...

I seen pictures of it and its a brutal mess ... and stunned how much water is there.


In my hometown ... Downpour of Rain!

[MissGoddess]

Yes, it's a real mess. The buses will be taking on most of the overflow and that means lots of delays. People will have to exercise patience.

[RedRiver]

It's gratifying to see Republican governors and a Democratic administration working so well together. I tip my hat to both parties!

[JackFavell]

What I like is seeing people getting something done, working hard to help. I think that most of these men and women don't ever want to see another Katrina disaster (and I'm not talking about the weather incident) again. It's the difference between a 'politician' and a person who has dedicated his/her life to helping people.

[charliechaplinfan]

I've just finished a book called Zeitoun, I started it before this hurricane hit, I thought I knew all about Katrina but I didn't. This was one recommended by Amazon, it was quite a read.