HURRICANE SANDY
(A-level geography case study)
Primary effects
650,000 houses damaged/destroyed in NY+NJ
8.5 million businesses and homes without power
147 deaths (72 in US)
NYC marathon cancelled
$71 billion damage
Secondary effects
Flooded infrastructure further disrupted business
10m of beach lost in New Jersey making further erosion more likely
International trade disruptions due to 18,000 cancelled flights
Loss of income from cancelled events + reduced tourism
Psychological damage to those whose friends/family died
Facts
Responses + prep differed between countries (compared to
Typhoon Haiyan)
October 2012
Most of the deaths were in the Caribbean (esp. Haiti)
Winds 185km/h
US is one of the richest countries in the world
Responses
Rebuilding aimed to be more hurricane-proof
International aid not needed so response faster
45,000 army personnel deployed in 7 states
Many services etc. shut in advance
100,000s evacuated beforehand