Airborne roof, angry trees: Sights and sounds of Sandy in Morristown

Banner whips in the wind as Hurricane Sandy blows through Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Banner whips in the wind as Hurricane Sandy blows through Morristown in 2012. Scientists warn that climate change may bring more intense storms. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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A year later, the enormity of Superstorm Sandy still is hard to process.  What sticks with me is the random fury of the thing. If you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, so long, it’s been good to know you.

Greater Morristown felt like The Revenge of the Trees.  Lovely symbols of tranquility suddenly conspired to get even for every cabinet, rocking chair and baseball bat.

Banner whips in the wind as Hurricane Sandy blows through Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Banner whips in the wind as Hurricane Sandy blows through Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

I remember weariness. Flashlights. Soup kitchens. Warming stations. Gas lines.

And a roof.

Wrong place, wrong time…almost.

It peeled off the Morris County Courthouse like a tin toupee. Scarcely visible in the dark horizontal rain, this iron shadow heaved upwards and pitched forward in slow motion, landing with a frightful junkyard clatter onto Ann Street.  Where I had been standing moments earlier.

Only part of the scene is captured on video. I jumped back, spoiling the shot.

I got over it.

VIDEO RETROSPECTIVE OF SUPERSTORM SANDY

(Toggle among videos by clicking playlist button.)

1. Hurricane Sandy Slams Morristown.

2. Roof Blows Off Morristown Courthouse.

3. Morristown Press Conference Sandy Aftermath.

4. Morristown Press Conference Q & A.

5. St. Peter’s Asks for Help.

6. St. Peter’s on News 12.

7. Gas Line on South Street.

8. Sandy Drive in Morristown.

9. Sand Drive Concert at MHS.

10. Morristown Christmas Trees Rebuild Shore.

11. Morristown Boy Honored for Sandy Relief.

12. Hurricane Sandy Devastation in Breezy Point NY.

MORE COVERAGE OF SUPERSTORM SANDY

 

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. Thanks, Berit–and thanks for all your dedicated coverage of the storm and its aftermath. Keep the hip waders handy…you never know when Mother Nature will get cranky again. 😉

  2. Kevin-
    I can still recall meeting up w/you shortly after you had almost met your fate with the ‘rogue roof’. I seem to remember after your close encounter with the spinning out of control jagged piece of aluminum,; you were re-thinking the saneness of us being out there in the quickly declining weather conditions, all in the name of that ‘picture perfect storm photo’.
    Well, I’d like to say I’m grateful that you went against your better judgement and we stayed out and continued to ‘ride out the storm’ and captured some great photos! But more importantly I’m grateful that you are still with us 1 year later to tell about it!
    After all, who else would provide the extensive & detailed storm coverage re-cap on the one year anniversary of Sandy as well as you have for all of us here in the community 😉
    Thanks for the memories and for your un-wavering commitment to provide us here in the town with such a high quality of journalism.
    You’re the Best!
    Love Ya
    Berit

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