by ALISON LEVIER Section Editor
One of the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Sandy, a category 1 hurricane that barreled up the east coast in late October, is right under the noses of students at MTHS – the beaches where most Jersey natives spend their summers. “The Jersey shore is ruined and I am so sad! My summer vacation is ruined and that makes me really upset. Seeing it like this is really heartbreaking because I’m so used to seeing it during the summer when it’s thriving. I hope everything is going okay over there and people are doing alright!” said sophomore Kirsten Pasewaldt. The storm left an estimated 6 million without power, and some without homes.
Photo/AP Images
Perhaps one of the hardest hits was the small, upscale town of Mantoloking, where the storm left almost every home destroyed. The small town is surrounded by water, with one side facing the bay and the other sitting on the Atlantic Ocean. In the wake of Sandy, the bridge over the bay was half underwater, and the bay and ocean had become one. Since the time that this photo was taken, much progress has been made, and the bay and the ocean are no longer connected.
Photo/AP Images
Another hard hit area was Seaside Heights, much to the dismay of many Jersey teens. The boardwalk is a popular attraction during the summertime, and also where the popular MTV show “Jersey Shore” was filmed. The roller coaster that used to be a main attraction at the popular summer spot ended up in the ocean, and the boardwalk was torn up and thrown around. “I’m actually really upset that Seaside got wrecked. I always go there over the summer and now that it’s not there I don’t know what I’m going to do. I hope they get it cleaned up by the summer, or else I’m going to have to find a new place to hang out,” said sophomore Liz Marchese. Even worse was the evacuation that took place in this shore town. Seaside residents were evacuated from their homes, and the town was almost totally shut down. Residents could not even get into their own homes because they were not being let in. Despite the horrible destruction shore residents faced, one of their main problems currently is the issue of looting. There have been a substantial amount of reports of theft in these greatly effected areas. Along with Mantoloking and Seaside, Belmar was also hurt by the hurricane. The tide washed up about five blocks inland. In the wake of the rushing ocean, the boardwalk was ripped up and spewed across the streets. In all of the areas mentioned, the streets were left covered in sand, with debris from the destroyed homes littered across the land. Donations are being accepted by many charity organizations, most prominent being the Red Cross. Families are still struggling to cope with the destruction that Sandy left in her path.