Cup of the Day #111
"The calm before the Storm"
"The calm before the Storm"
Water color on upcycled paper coffee cup
by Gwyneth Leech
The weather map was terrifying, but in Midtown Manhattan on that hurricane Monday it didn't actually seem like much. Gusts of wind and rain at street level, not dramatic. There was a stange high pitched whine of wind high above, but that wouldn't keep us holed up indoors. In fact, many of us went repeatedly down to the Hudson River to watch the water level rise, and to feel the warm driving rain in our faces. It seemed nothing like the wind and snow lashing the city as I sit writing on this afternoon ten days later.
High water on the West side highway
8:30 pm Monday, October 29th
AP Photo/ Dylan Patrick
AP Photo/ Dylan Patrick
The same section of the West side Highway on Tuesday October 30th at 11 am.
The flooding tide receded quickly. Up here in Midtown, it was as if it never happened - almost.
Around 8pm on Monday, October 29th, the tide reached its peak and the flood waters swept in at last, reaching deep into the five boroughs. Half the city plunged into darkness. Within hours the freak tide had receded. A seemingly underwhelming storm and its unprecedented tidal surge left behind a wrack and ruin of ordinary life: a pulverized coast, lost lives, houses and infrastructure destroyed, trees uprooted, widespread power outages and a city brought to a halt by a flooded and power-less public transportation system.
Broken crane at the 74th floor.
November 1st, 2012
Broadway and 57th Street closed for days due to the crane accident.
Traffic chaos around Columbus circle and on 8th Avenue, November 1st, 2012
Hallowe'en was observed just two days after the storm. On this Wednesday, ten days later, much has returned to a semblance of normal - most transportation running, most schools open and children back, most people returning to work. Yesterday we succeeded in voting along with the rest of the country.
Trick-or-treat in the local deli,
Hell's Kitchen, October 31, 2012
Relief efforts are ongoing. Go to www.nycservice.org for details of ways to take part.
For information about New Jersey go to www.ready.nj.gov
Beautiful account and pictures of how eeirie and quiet yet brutal it was.
ReplyDeleteThanks!