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Plans to fully secure a storm-rocked construction crane atop a New York City high rise continued Thursday morning (Nov. 1), and the governor of New Jersey called the damage to his state "unfathomable."
Meanwhile Thursday, thousands of homeowners with wrecked properties along the Eastern Seaboard won an important victory when the National Weather Service declared Superstorm Sandy a "post-tropical storm"— not a hurricane—after it hit land.
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Soniaramos4607 / WPIX |
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Homeowners facing massive storm damage won an insurance victory when Sandy was ruled a "post-tropical storm," rather than a hurricane.
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The distinction means that insurers cannot charge homeowners hurricane deductibles that can amount to tens of thousands of dollars. Unlike flat-fee deductibles, hurricane deductibles are often a percentage of the home's value.
'Unthinkable' Damage, Halloween Hiatus
In New Jersey, the state hit hardest by Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie called the storm's devastation "unthinkable." Reacting to images taken from a New Jersey State Police helicopter that surveyed the ruin of several Shore towns, Christie said: "The idea ... that you see homes in the middle of Route 35 southbound and northbound is just unfathomable."
In one Jersey Shore town alone, Seaside Heights, damage was estimated at more than $1 billion. Other estimates for the region overall ranged up to $15 billion.
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grabnetworks.com |
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In New Jersey, the state hit hardest by Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie called the storm's devastation "unthinkable." Jersey Shore attractions were among the properties that took a pounding from the Superstorm.
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The continuing volatility of the situation even spurred Christie to issue an Executive Order rescheduling Halloween to Monday, Nov. 5. Communities throughout the region also banned trick-or-treating on Halloween, due to the dangers posed by downed power lines and trees.
Sandy has been blamed for deaths of at least 70 people in the U.S., and many remain missing. Millions of people remained without power Thursday for a third day. Flooding and fires have destroyed and damaged thousands of structures.
Airports Reopen, Meals Delivered
Kennedy Airport in New York and Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey began handling flights again just after 7 a.m. Thursday after being closed for days. New York's LaGuardia Airport, which suffered far worse damage and still had water on its runways, remained closed.
About 6 million homes and businesses were still without power, mostly in New York and New Jersey, CBS News reported. Electricity was out as far west as Wisconsin and as far south as the Carolinas.
In New Jersey, National Guard trucks rolled into flooded Hoboken to deliver ready-to-eat meals and supplies and to evacuate people from their condo high-rises, brownstones and other homes, CBS said.
Mayor: Crane is ‘Secure’
Seventy-five stories above the streets of Manhattan, the crane atop the One57 development continued to dangled and sway Thursday. The crane's boom was shifted Monday afternoon by Sandy's winds. No injuries related to the crane have been reported, but the area has been evacuated for days.
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JSR694/ WikiMedia Commons |
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Sandy's 80 mph winds caused the construction crane to collapse 75 stories up.
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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Wednesday afternoon that city engineers had been inspecting the damaged crane since Tuesday (Oct. 30) and had "determined that the ties that bind the crane tower to the building are secure."
"There was enormous torque when this fell over, and the fact that those connectors withstood the pressure just testifies to how well they were put in and how stable that tower is," he added.
Wind gusts at the time of the collapse were close to 80 mph, according to reports.
Expert: ‘It Could Come Down’
Despite Bloomberg’s assurances, others are not as convinced. Those expressing concern included the contracting company, Lend Lease Construction, and at least one crane expert.
"NYC emergency personnel remain on site and have cleared all bystanders from the potential impact area should any additional failure take place," Mary Costello, Lend Lease Construction senior vice president, told ABC News.
A crane expert also told the news bureau, "It’s not hanging on by much now, and it keeps bending back and forth. It could finally come down."
Next Steps Outlined
Nearby buildings and streets remained evacuated and cleared Thursday, as the construction equipment dangled some 1,000 feet in the air.
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King of Hearts/ WikiMedia Commons |
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Better days: One57 was under construction and the crane in working order earlier this year.
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Then, the team will have to construct another crane next to the damaged one in order to take it down, he said.
"And that can take weeks, but once the boom is secured, we should be able to minimize any disruption on the street below," Bloomberg said.
One of the closed streets is 57th, a main throughfare in the area.
Residents and businesses in nearby buildings should be able to return to homes and jobs Monday, reports said.
Contractor: Crane was Prepared
In a statement issued late Tuesday, Extell Construction, the developer, and Lend Lease said the team had taken "all recommended measures to position the crane in anticipation of a hurricane."
"This was inspected and approved by the Department of Buildings and is the standard for hurricanes," the companies said.
"We apologize for the considerable inconvenience experienced by our neighbors, but safety is paramount. We are thankful that no one has been hurt."
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