It was a storm that left so many here in New Jersey devastated. It was hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime weather event that caused so much heartache and destroyed and damaged so many homes and businesses here in the Garden State. According to National Geographic, "In the nine days that Sandy raged, it killed 70 people in the Caribbean and almost 150 people in the U.S. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates Sandy caused at least $70 billion in damages, making it among the costliest storms in U.S. history."

 

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East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy
Getty Images, Mario Tama / Staff
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According to 6ABC, "Sandy is one of the costliest storms in U.S. history, with $36.8 billion in damage in New Jersey and $32.8 billion in New York." I still see neighbors rebuilding in my neighborhood. The night of the worst of the storm the water began moving down our street. We do not directly live on the water but we are very close. The water made its way to our front door. By the grace of god, we were spared from getting flooded, but many in my neighborhood were not. We had tree and wind damage,  but the salt water did not flood us.

 

Recovery Continues Two Weeks After Superstorm Sandy
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According to an article from Love Exploring, the most shocking weather event in New Jersey is Hurricane Sandy. "By the time it hit New Jersey, so-called ‘Superstorm’ Sandy had reached wind speeds of 80 miles per hour (129km/h). It tore through homes and ripped up boardwalks along the Jersey Shore, wrecking amusement parks like that at Seaside Heights."

 

 

New York And New Jersey Continue To Recover From Superstorm Sandy
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During Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy, Sue and I, like many others on the air with us, spent 24-36 hours at our broadcast facility. We stayed up all night taking calls and helping area residents get through the night. It was truly an emotional evening for everyone in Jersey. Sandy changed the look of the Jersey Shore for so many families and businesses. I pray we never see a weather system that had all the devasting components of Hurricane Sandy.

 

 

East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy
Getty Images, Mark Wilson / Staff
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I remember driving home after the storm and seeing the damage. Boats in our street, a bed washed up on our front lawn, and trees down everywhere. It was a sight I will never forget. The Red Cross drove up and down our street announcing they had emergency supplies for people. It was the worst storm I have ever endured. Prayers still go out to people trying to rebuild a decade later.

 

 

East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy
Getty Images, Mario Tama / Staff
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East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy
Getty Images, Mario Tama / Staff
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25 costliest hurricanes of all time

Although the full extent of damage caused by Hurricane Ian in the Southwest is still being realized, Ian is already being called one of the costliest storms to ever hit the U.S. Stacker took a look at NOAA data to extrapolate the costliest U.S. hurricanes of all time.  

 

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

 

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