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| Mantoloking, NJ house that Sandy washed into Barnegat Bay – AP photo |
Interesting Associated Press story Sunday on what superstorm Sandy left buried below the water surface. To wit, cars and sunken boats. Patio furniture. Pieces of docks. Entire houses.
"We did a cleanup three weeks ago. Then when we went back the other day, you could still see junk coming up in the wash," said Paul Harris, president of the New Jersey Beach Buggy Association, which helps take care of beaches on which the group goes surf fishing. "They go and clean it again, and two days later, you have the same thing again. There’s nothing you can do about it; you can’t vacuum the ocean."
AP reporter Wayne Parry says that the sunken debris presents an urgent safety issue.
"Swimmers could cut themselves on submerged junk, step on one of thousands of boardwalk nails ripped loose, or suffer neck or spinal injuries diving into solid objects. Boats could hit debris, pitching their occupants overboard, or in severe cases, sinking."
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| Roller coaster washed into the surf at Seaside Heights -AP Photo |
How much stuff lies below?
New Jersey officials estimate some 1,400 vessels sunk, broken loose or destroyed during the storm. In just one shore town alone, Mantoloking, 58 buildings were washed into Barnegat Bay, along with eight vehicles, and a staggering amount of sand carried from the ocean beaches into the bay.
Gov. Chris Christie says the amount of junk that needs to be pulled out is ‘mind boggling."
"Everything you can imagine is sitting in our waterways," he said.
You can read the entire story here.
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