Superstorm Sandy's Long Road To Recovery
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ (CBSMiami/AP) -- The death toll from Sandy continues to climb. At least 90 people have been killed from the Superstorm and the road to recovery is going to be a long and hard journey.
You don't have to look hard to find frustrated people.
There are long lines to get gas because Sandy damaged ports that accept fuel tankers and flooded underground equipment that sends fuel through pipelines. Without power, fuel terminals can't pump gasoline onto tanker trucks, and gas stations can't pump fuel into customers' cars.
The Port of New York and New Jersey was slowly starting to accept tankers, but some cargo was being diverted to the Port of Virginia. Federal requirements for low-smog gasoline have been lifted, and fuel trucks are on their way to the area.
But for now, the long lines for gas are testing patience all along the coast wherever supplies are tight, especially in New Jersey. In the New York City borough of Queens, a man was accused Thursday of flashing a gun at another motorist who complained he was cutting in line.
There are long lines to get into New York City as well as police enforce a three person per vehicle rule.
Traffic will only get better when all of the tunnels and subway lines are clear of water. The pumps are operating 24 hours a day to speed up the process but there's still a lot of work to be done.
The nights are especially hard for people without electricity.
"It's been cold some nights," said Kareem Jarrett-Lewis, a Long Island resident. "Dark and cold," said Amani Jarrett-Lewis.
Con Edison says it will have power back on Saturday for hundreds of thousands of people in Manhattan.
In New Jersey, police have started allowing some residents who live along the coast into their homes for the first time and for many it was an emotional homecoming.
"I got upset. We lost everything here and there's nothing we can do. This is it, you know," said Vincente Juarez, a Stafford Township resident.
Juarez said the water rose three feet high inside his Stafford Township home. He spent all day throwing away all of his goods.
"I don't have much left."
Damage from Sandy is estimated at $50-billion.
But there is some good news for homeowners. The governors of New York and New Jersey say the storm was not classified as a hurricane which means homeowners with insurance will pay less on their deductible.
For more coverage of Superstorm Sandy:
- Click here for CBS New York
- Click here for CBS Philadelphia
- Click here for CBS Baltimore
- Click here for CBS Boston
- Click here for CBS Washington
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
