On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck New York City, causing 43 deaths, the evacuation of 6,500 patients from hospitals and nursing homes, and flooding of almost 90,000 buildings. While the global impacts of floods are well studied, the event was unprecedented for New York City, highlighting the need for improved preparedness for similar disasters.
In this brief, Baez discusses the impacts of Hurricane Sandy, noting how unexpected the event was given New York City’s lack of hurricane experience. Baez emphasizes the responsibility of governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations to issue strong preparedness measures to face more frequent and intense storms in the face of climate change.