Hurricane Sandy

Hurricanes are never a small problem. The destructive winds, rain, and surges they carry across large swaths of coastline are only a portion of the problems they pose.  The after-effects of a hurricane can be just as damaging as the storm itself.  

A large portion of the U.S. coastline is still suffering from a loss of power and major flooding. Transportation is barely limping along in many areas, triggering a logistical nightmare for people simply trying to get to work or buy groceries. Although a small army of volunteers, residents, governmental agencies, and first responders has contributed momentous effort towards returning the storm-ravaged areas to a relative normalcy, the sheer scale of loss has proven to be a major challenge.

More tragic than the paths of destruction these massive storms carve across cities is the effect they have on residents’ lives. The most heartbreaking side of the storm’s impact is the human loss it has left in its wake. Although no financial disruption can be measured against the incalculable losses suffered by the victims of these events, Hurricane Sandy’s economic impact has been nothing less than disastrous.

Companies on the East Coast have suffered the brunt of Sandy’s far-reaching effects, but the influence is being felt across the country. Businesses that depend on the East Coast ports and the industries they serve have all been watching the recovery effort closely. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has provided a webpage providing regular updates on the operating status of these vital elements of America’s economic engine. You can visit it here:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_outreach/bus_resumption/sandy_status.xml

In these days of chaos, our hearts go out to our friends on the East Coast: to the families who have faced incredible loss, and to the businesses who are doing their best to rebuild and recover.