{Hurricane Sandy} Scenes from Hoboken

 

Well.  What. a. week.

I wrote all my posts in advance last week because rumor had it that Hurricane Sandy was going to hit Hoboken & the surrounding areas.  RZ & I prepared: we stocked up on batteries, we bought non-perishable food & we filled the car with gas.  We prepared for the worst & hoped for the best.  By Monday evening, it seemed like Hurricane Sandy had spared Hoboken of anything more than heavy winds.

Around 10:30pm, things went really wrong really fast.  Power was lost.  Water came gushing down our street, turning our street into a rushing river & the first floor of our building into a pool.  Fire alarms started blaring.  We needed to get out of our building but we couldn't get out because of the water.  Panic set in.  The worst had arrived!

After getting through that scary night, we woke up still trapped in our building.  We had no power & no gas.  We couldn't leave because of the flooding.    

Instead of pavement, this murky river greeted us beyond our front door:

Further down our street, the flood waters were much deeper:

 

As Tuesday progressed, our little slice of Hoboken started looking much better.  Flood waters were receding in one direction:

 

The other direction still didn't look so good but we hoped & hoped & hoped some more we could leave in the morning:

For other images of the devastation in Hoboken, please see other residents' photos on Hoboken Girl Blog.

Thanks to our lucky stars, we were able to leave Wednesday morning & we were welcomed into our brother & sister-in-law's home.  For the first time, we could see the Hurricane Sandy coverage & truly understand her wrath.  National Guard rescuing stranded Hobokenites from still-flooded areas.  People surveying the burned spot where their home once stood.  The ocean obliterating my favorite spots on the Jersey shore.  Every single image & report broke my heart. 

We received word that Monday is the first day we may able to return home.  I feel very lucky & blessed that we have a wonderful place to stay & a home to return to at some point.  My heart remains in my home sweet home of Hoboken & I can't wait to go home.  To Hobokenites & others affected by Hurricane Sandy- stay strong!!!!

November 5 Update: We're still not home yet we are still feeling very lucky & grateful.  Blogging may be spotty for the next week or so; please be patient.  Our hearts, thoughts & prayers remain with everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy.  Hoboken Strong AND Jersey Strong!