Sandy Bright And Dark In Hudson County: A 10-Year Lookback

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — Hurricane Sandy made a direct hit to New Jersey on Oct. 29, 2012 and brought wind, rain, and flooding to Hudson County, situated along the Hudson River. Many streets lost power for more than a week.

While some remember Sandy fondly as a time of resiliency, for others, the time is fraught with loss and sadness.

In Jersey City, a 4-year-old boy was fatally hit by a car while trying to trick-or-treat on Oct. 31, and news accounts said a power outage and dark streets may have contributed to his death. Halloween likely brings back tragic memories for the family each year, replacing the happy ones of before.

In nearby Hoboken, the mile-square city made national news, as many households south of Seventh Street were surrounded by floodwaters. Mayor Dawn Zimmer had to bring in the National Guard to help.

Because power was lost, city leaders wrote emergency information — including where to get bottled water and prescriptions — on the window of the 12th Street Starbucks and on a side outside City Hall.

Former Hoboken-based artist (now a Jersey City-based artist) Jay Boucher told a
story on Twitter this weekend of how his art studio almost got flooded. Read more from Jay Boucher on Twitter here.

The city's new CERT team of volunteers helped deliver prescriptions around town and help in other emergent matters. READ MORE: Sandy Helped Lay Groundwork For Hoboken's COVID Response

Hoboken residents have also shared, for many years, stories of how households with power threaded their power cords outside their windows to help others charge their phones. Neighbors shared frozen food with each other before it went bad.

Some have found silver linings in a tragic episode in which 72 people lost their lives in the Northeast, more than half of those in New Jersey.

Flooding More Frequent

In the last two years, Hudson County has been hit at least three times each year with storms that caused flooding — including Tropical Depression Ida in 2021, which took 30 lives in New Jersey and flooded parts of Hoboken and Jersey City.

Even brief downpours have caused flooding. Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla has stopped using the term "50-year storm," as the frequency has spiked.

Jersey City, Hoboken, and Secaucus have been forced to be proactive in handling flooding and warning residents about impending floods, as scientists warn that climate change is causing more extreme weather.

The $230M federal Rebuild by Design project for Hoboken, Jersey City, and Weehawken kicked off last year, intending to strengthen the coast against future storm surges. And Hoboken has been building "resiliency parks" with a water retention component.

This week, an Associated Press story asked whether the post-Sandy changes will be enough for future storms.

READ MORE: Why NJ Flooding Is Getting Worse, And What To Do

Contribute Your Hurricane Sandy Memories Or Thoughts Below

Sandy was considered the second most costly hurricane to hit the United States since 1900.

Do you have comments and memories of Hurricane Sandy? If they're short, post them in the comments below. Do you have photos or longer anecdotes? Use these instructions for a Neighbor Post to post on Hoboken, Jersey City, or Secaucus Patch.