LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT: SUPERSTORM SANDY’S STEALTH STORM SURGE

After a blustery, rainy day, the eye wall winds of Superstorm Sandy came ashore in the Island Beach/Toms River, NJ area around 4:30 pm EDT on October 29, 2012 with ferocious gusts probably well over 90 mph. Branches snapped and trees started falling all around. Although it was full moon, the height of the tide wasn’t more than expected as night fell. However, as the area suffered through the northeast quadrant of the combined hurricane and frontal storm, the surge continued to build up the back bays, lagoons and Toms River estuary from Barnegat Inlet, reaching its height (500 yr. level) just after 10 pm. The timing and the height of the surge caught residents in low-lying areas by complete surprise—water rose over bulkheads and up storm drains, creeping into every crevice possible, bringing rafted debris including sections of boardwalks, even boats and vehicles, crashing into their homes. Without power and street lights, residents could not see the water rising, and only a few were able to move their cars to higher ground: thousands of vehicles were inundated. Although warned about the possibility of record high water, at least two elderly residents in lagoonal bungalows died because they would not evacuate: one drowned in bed, the other died of hypothermia.

Those residents just inundated should be urged to at least put utilities above this flood stage, those destroyed must rebuild with freeboard above A-Zone heights. However, considering the high number of retired and seniors who live in these areas, funding to repair will be a challenge even with insurance, and they will continue to be vulnerable in future events. At present, NJ residents have absolute right to rebuild on their property in coastal areas, and thus are rushing to rebuild before regulations are revised.