Today in History: 14 Years Ago Hurricane Sandy Flooded NYC

By Y.M. Lowy

Fourteen years ago today, on October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck the New York area, flooding subway tunnels, damaging homes and businesses, and leaving millions without electricity. The storm killed 44 people in New York City alone, damaged tens of thousands of homes and caused an estimated $19 billion in damage and lost economic activity across the city.

One of the most significant impacts was the flooding of New York City’s subway system. All six subway tunnels connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan beneath the East River were knocked out of service, along with other tunnels throughout the system. The flooding stranded approximately 5.4 million regular weekday subway riders, leaving commuters across Brooklyn without their usual way of reaching Manhattan. The subway system remained closed through November 1 as crews began pumping out water and assessing the damage.

The South Ferry station in Lower Manhattan was among the hardest-hit locations, with floodwaters rising nearly to the ceiling. Repairs took years, and the station did not reopen until 2017.

Approximately 8.5 million electricity customers lost power during the storm and its aftermath. At least 650,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and the storm claimed approximately 147 lives.

But for many in the Jewish community, the storm’s impact was felt most directly through the devastation in nearby coastal neighborhoods, particularly Sea Gate. As floodwaters overwhelmed Sea Gate, residents were forced to leave their homes, many with little more than the belongings they could carry. 

Misaskim and Hatzalah volunteers helped evacuate residents, while Boro Park Shomrim members later assisted with relief efforts in the devastated neighborhood. Volunteers helped residents with basic necessities and worked to assist the community as it began facing the enormous task of recovery.

Fourteen years later, Hurricane Sandy remains one of the most destructive storms in New York City’s history, remembered for the flooding, widespread outages and transportation shutdown that affected millions of people.