2012: Hurricane Sandy | United Nations

Beginning in late October 2012 in the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Sandy grew into what some media reports described as a “once in a generation” storm, causing death and destruction across the Caribbean region and the eastern seaboard of the United States. In the Caribbean, five million people were affected and 72 people died. In Haiti, 54 people died, and hundreds of thousands of people were hit by floods and heavy winds. In Cuba, 20 per cent of the country's population was affected. Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas also suffered significantly. Sandy’s arrival, and its effects, in New York City, where the United Nations is headquartered, led to the UN offices being closed for an unprecedented three days straight, with most meetings cancelled, before re-opening on Thursday, 1 November 2012. The UN complex sustained damage due to high wind and flooding, which affected communications and other infrastructure.


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