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Mangano: Many Challenges Remain In Nassau County Post-Sandy

MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano on Sunday said that many challenges remained in his Long Island County following the devastation wrought by Superstorm Sandy.

Speaking to 1010 WINS, Mangano said everyone has been working hard, and a coordinated response is in place on the county, state and federal level. But many obstacles remain for Nassau, particularly in Long Beach.

"The fact of the matter is that the supply chain and all other items we need – skilled personnel, specialized parts, additional lighting and portable traffic lights – all these assets are moving into the area, but absolutely not quick enough," he said.

Of particular concern were those who remained without power, Mangano said.

"Repairs are obviously going to slow for all those without power," he said. "As the weather gets colder, the nights get more worrisome for us from a health perspective. That is a number one concern here, along with many other infrastructure items that were damaged."

There is no accurate timeline in place as to when power will be restored, Mangano said.

He also urged people to stay home from work on Monday if possible, and to expect a lengthy commute if not.

"There's not full service available, in my understanding, at the transportation outlets, so leave yourself plenty of extra time," Mangano said. "Of course, if it's not essential for you to be in tomorrow and you can still afford to take a day, then you should take it."

WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola reports

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On Sunday, Nassau County residents on Sunday were busy surveying the devastation. WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola visited the communities of Island Park and West Hempstead, where power was still out.

While the majestic trees and breathtaking views of the water make Long Island highly appealing to live in, those vistas have since been replaced by devastation and horror.

"We had a dock and a ramp that fell in, and our boat is now sitting in our neighbors' yard," said Lillian, of Island Park. Inside her home, the first floor was ruined.

"The Salvation Army was great," Lillian said. "The school here, they were giving out MREs. We've been surviving on that."

In leafy West Hempstead, Maureen was looking at trees downed all over the street.

"There's still tons of wires down," she said.

Both Lillian and Maureen had been without electricity or heat since the storm, and did not know when it would be restored.

When Monday comes around, Long Beach residents will be able to return to their homes between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. They will have to display a re-entry placard, a driver's license and other proof of residence to reenter, according to the Associated Press.

Only one vehicle per resident can reenter the island, and children under 12 and pets are not permitted, the wire reported.

Residents of Holgate and North Beach will not be permitted re-entry, due to persistent dangerous conditions, the wire reported.

Nassau County was clobbered by the storm, Long Beach in particular. Long Beach was a city making progress Friday, but some parts were so completely devastated, many of the residents said they couldn't see their way out their despair.

On the west end of Long Beach the notion of recovery was overwhelming as of Friday. Streets and cars were buried in 6 feet of ocean sand. Homes that were drenched in a tidal surge ended up a total loss. One had two feet of sand in the living room, CBS 2's Carolyn Gusoff reported.

While city officials said the water could be back on by Monday, that was of little comfort to folks whose houses were condemned and uninhabitable.

But as part of the relief efforts, Nassau County, FEMA, Island Harvest and the Red Cross have added new locations for the distribution of food and drinks to thousands of residents of impacted by the storm.

More: Disaster Relief Information & Resources

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