While the Syracuse area avoided the worst of Hurricane-turned Superstorm Sandy, many students from the tri-state area spent the day watching the news and checking in with family and friends in affected areas.

First thing Tuesday morning, Joseph Miranda called his parents in Nassau County, N.Y. While his parents’ house was left relatively untouched, his uncle’s house in Garden City, N.Y., did not fare as well.

“My uncle was staying with my parents because his neighbor’s gas line exploded, causing massive damage to surrounding houses,” said Miranda, a sophomore computer art major. “Fortunately, no one was inside the house, but one of my uncle’s other neighbors is currently in critical condition at the hospital.”

Many students were worried about their friends and family in New York City, where reports of widespread damage throughout the five boroughs circulated on the news. The city shut down its public subway system, railroad and bus services on Sunday at 7 p.m., and Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a press conference on Monday night that city residents should not call 911 unless it was a life-threatening emergency.

New York City was receiving 10,000 calls per half hour, Bloomberg said in the press conference. About 375,000 people were ordered to evacuate lower Manhattan.

Jess Tuck, a senior communications design major, said that her sister who lives in Brooklyn said her area saw “severe weather.” Tuck said her sister anticipated being stuck for a while until bridges and tunnels were ready for use.

Chelsea Memet, a junior information technology and management major from Queens, was able to contact her family even though many were without cell service. She said Sunnyside, her neighborhood, did not end up with extensive damage, but some nearby areas had it much worse.

“However, on the Rockaway Peninsula by the beach, there was major flooding, and some towns were destroyed by the rains and fire,” Memet said.

While heavy rains pounded New England and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, blizzard-like conditions affected the Appalachian region of the United States.

Sophie Greenberg, a junior public relations major from Princeton, W.Va., said her hometown got nearly a foot of snow and may get a couple more feet.

“All colleges and schools are closed for the entire week and my dad has had to shut down his doctor’s office because he can’t get out of the house,” she said. “We still have power, but other parts of the region don’t.”

Several New Jersey residents spoke with their parents after hearing reports of the damage and widespread power outages.

“My parents in Bergen County are supposed to be without power for 10 days,” said Tatiana Stephanis, a junior communications design major. “Trees are littering the roads and the damage is immense.”

Carling Mott, a freshman broadcast and digital journalism major, was able to speak with both her parents several times during the last few days. Her hometown of Ocean City, N.J., was directly in the path of Superstorm Sandy’s landfall.

“Downtown Ocean City has at least three feet of flood water,” Mott said. “My father stayed on the island while my mother evacuated to my grandmother’s house.”

Although the mayor of Ocean City said no deaths or serious injuries were reported, there is currently no access to the island, she said.

Leigh Ortman, a senior advertising major, reported similar destruction in her town of Point Pleasant, N.J., located just an hour north of Ocean City.

She said there was significantly less damage on the West side of Point Pleasant, where her family lives, than on the East side.

“Rumor has it that power won’t be back in Point Pleasant for up to three weeks,” Ortman said. “The Seaside Heights pier was destroyed and the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk and many boats in the marina have washed throughout town.”

Published on October 31, 2012 at 3:01 am

Contact Levi: ldstei01@syr.edu