Storm-Ravaged Long Beach Quietly Recovering In Face Of Serious Adversity
LONG BEACH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Residents of Long Beach spent part of Friday digging out from piles of sand. It was the scene of a lot of hard work in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.
And as CBS 2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, families also got a lift in the form of relief.
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. 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 Gusoff reported.
"It's a middle class community. Where are they going to go?" resident Kevin McAdams said.
"We have no future," another resident added.
City Manager Jack Schnirman said progress was being made. Food and water distribution centers were set up. FEMA was going door to door checking on residents' health and safety. Water and sewers were expected to be back on by Monday, and the Army National Guard was handing out meals and water plus blankets were delivered by CBS 2 to give a small measure of comfort to residents who were sticking it out.
The sand that was covering virtually all of the city's ocean front roads was being bulldozed into mountains. Things like that were baby steps toward recovery for a hearty people, beach front residents who said they were bruised but not broken.
"Bottom line, we are alive. That's a good thing. One day at a time," one resident said.
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.
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