Hate to pont this out, but....losses could get close to the trillion here

[nadinbrzezinski]

So far three people killed...which is exceptional, but the economic losses are quickly reaching worst case scenario.

You people in the middle of this stay safe.

[tbennett76]

1. Uh you mean

exceptional relative to the danger right?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Yes, models of storms like this lead to much higher numbers of casualties

So far plans to reduce casualties are working.

[NYC_SKP]

2. In NYC alone, the infrastructure, electrified subway and PATH trains...

Major and costly damages like nothing seen in a generation, if ever.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Yup, MTA could see massive damage.

Water into tunnels is a worst case. They de-electrified the grid, so that will protect infrastructure.

[Ganja Ninja]

51. It's going to be interesting to see how they come through.

Will they just need pumping out or will the tunnels require major structural work to repair? They might find that the flooding has made them unstable once they pump them out. They might need to rebuild them completely.

[NYC_SKP]

54. I worry less about the structural integrity and more about the electronics.

Switches, cabling, transformers, and all of that.

The structure is masonry, concrete, steel, that might hold up well but electronics HATE water!

[Aerows]

63. Hope you are staying safe, my friend

best wishes from Katrina country.

[NYC_SKP]

70. Thanks, friend!

I'm in California for the near term, but really thinking about my brothers and sisters in the boroughs.

This would have to be the biggest natural disaster in 50 years easily.

May we win, may Obama win a second term.

[BlueMan Votes]

5. I doubt it will get anywhere CLOSE to $trillion.

even a couple hundred Billion would be extremely catastrophic.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Read on Donna, that was in the billions in 1960

This is a large geographic area, with very tight population density, not just NYC.

Just MTA could be in the hundreds of millions if they did not lose trains or busses.

[BlueMan Votes]

21. it will take a LOT to get anywhere close to 1,000 Billion.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Will see. NYC alone will be in the billions.

[BlueMan Votes]

31. and so will many of the affected states...

but all added up- it probably won't even reach halfway to a trillion.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. Will see

[Aerows]

62. We had 91 Billion in damage

with Katrina. New York City, being a much more populous area, could be worse. I don't see the hit being in the trillions, though. You have a President that gives a damn, Governors that give a damn, and a populace that gives a damn. We didn't have that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

65. The cost s separate from people giving a damn

But yes, that is one of the reasons, density.

I still will not mind being way off.

[undeterred]

6. So the Right will blame Obama for adding to the deficit.

[bluestate10]

7. All of which will generate economic activity. The thing that worries me most is lost lives,

I would have preferred that no one died, but we have already lost four people.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Which s truly exceptional, and kudos to emergency workers,

In a storm this size.

[Texasgal]

8. Speaking of financial loss

is not pretty right now. C'mon Nads.. people LIVES are at stake!

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Why I pointed both.

Sorry, as a former emergency responder we think on both spheres... I guess holding two thoughts is tacky.

Oh wait, didn't the President of the United States mention his concern or the economy this morning? Tacky I guess.

[Texasgal]

14. I'm a former triage nurse..

So please do not tell me about "thinking on both spheres". My concern is not financial,. but for the people. You are not the ONLY first responder on DU you know.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Yeah, and...so was the President tacky

When he touched on both during the morning briefing?

[Texasgal]

23. No.

but you are.

We are not the president, we are a community.

If you want to quote he prez, fine..but do your really need to start a thread with " I hate to say it"

People first "first responder" Right?

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Sorry, but I think in both spheres

You don't want to read it, or find it tacky, trash the thread...easy, peachy.

[Texasgal]

33. Good for you

When i am responder mode I think about the PEOPLE first. Interesting.

I will not trash thread. I want you exposed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. Exposed for what?

Oh yes, in your mind the enemy, a republican shill... I could go on

Jaysus, there are days...

Look, if you are one dimensional that is your issue. Some of those can walk and chew gum at the same time.

I guess I have been the enemy all these all these years.

You know what this is? A L-3 already, easy could go into L-4. Your triage nurse will not get what I just wrote, nor will bother 'xplaining it. Thankfully the people in charge, capable of walking and chewing gum, will not say no like the bushes did.

[Texasgal]

37. Or not..

as a "first responder" we think about life. I've been in critical situations and not once did I wonder how the patient would pay.

I am very concerned about the PEOPLE. You go ON AND ON about being a "first responder" and then you question the cost?

REALLY?

People first fer cryin' out loud!

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. Given I did it in Mexico

Where I had to talk patients (American) who were concerned about cost to the ambulance, you tell me stories.

And then there were the times that we had to CONVINCE American hospitals to take charity patients who were American, you keep telling those fantasies to yourself.

Yes, money was always concern number one for patients and American administrators.

[flamingdem]

10. But wait Willard wants to give 2 trillion to the Pentagon!

In fact he'd never want to give it to NYC, too many liberals

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. The whole northwestern corridor.

[Arugula Latte]

15. That's a drop in the bucket for the military. I say they hand it over -- they don't need it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. If we didn't need them toys

Actualy I expect guard (and federal) units to play a critical role in relief efforts in the next 72 hours.

There are areas that a fire truck can't go into that military gear can.

[Robb]

18. Has NY "learned its lesson" to your satisfaction yet?

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

19. should make the next debt ceiling debate interesting

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. I can't wait fr Eric to insert foot in mouth.

But so far the administration has not inserted politics. I expect Eric to do so soon.

[obliviously]

24. What did you pull this 1 trillion number out of ?

Or need I ask.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. The damage for Donna back in 1960! Which was in the billions, 1960 dollars

Taking into account inflation and so far announced damage.

MTA alone will not be cheap.

[tkmorris]

27. Not a chance.

Here's a list of some storms and what they cost. Note that the infamous Katrina did just north of 100 billion in damages. Sandy is one nasty storm but she isn't 10 Katrinas, no way no how.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_costliest_Atlantic_hurricanes

[obliviously]

28. Good point. NT

[Tx4obama]

29. Now, so far 10 people have died

Two in New Jersey
One in Connecticut
One in West Virginia
One in North Carolina
Five in New York

CNN Breaking News ?@cnnbrk

2 deaths in NJ, 1 in CT, 1 in WVA, 1 off NC coast, in addition to 5 deaths in NY due to #Sandy. http://on.cnn.com/Pg1gMd

https://twitter.com/cnnbrk/status/263100021401059329

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. Thanks may it remain well bellow expected casualties.

[dumbledork]

35. Which numbers are a little bit below what they would have been without the storm.

hmm

[obamanut2012]

39. I live in NC -- no deaths here

[cherokeeprogressive]

34. Trillion?

Just pullin' numbers out a hat I see...

[onenote]

40. Nowhere near $1 trillion

Hurricane Donna has been cited as the basis for this estimate. But Donna only caused $900 million damage in 1960 dollars. Converted to 2012 dollars, it was a $7 billion dollar storm. And that's not just US cost, but total cost. Donna killed over 300 people.

Sandy is a horrible, costly storm and I'm happy (knock on wood) to have made it through it so far with minimal damage. And it will cause losses in the billions.

But its not a trillion dollar storm. Or a half a trillion.

[nadinbrzezinski]

41. Headline from 1960 paper was billions.

[Electric Monk]

42. I think you're probably off by a decimal point or two.

I guess time will tell.

[BlueMan Votes]

43. the number they're tossing around now is $20 Billion.

Yeah...that's REALLY CLOSE to a trillion.

[Motown_Johnny]

44. Rough estimate is $20 billion, 29 confirmed dead as of this posting

That number is very preliminary but it would seem that a trillion is way off the mark.

[nadinbrzezinski]

45. So, that is good news

Exprct it to rise

Are they using also economic losses from people NOT WORKING?

But good news still.

[Motown_Johnny]

52. no, that is another ~$30 billion on top of the damage estimate

still only about 1/20th of a trillion

[nadinbrzezinski]

55. You know, good news it's not as high as I feared

But if you wanna play gotcha games, have at it.

[coalition_unwilling]

46. A billion here and a billion there and pretty soon you're talking real money :) - n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. I took into account inflation from 1960 and Donna

To some here it's a game of gotcha...it says around 20 Billion, that is good news and still real money.

The subway seems to have suffered major damage.

[coalition_unwilling]

48. In a weird, counter-intuitive sort of way, recovery from Sandy might

provide the sort of Keynesian pump-priming needed to pull us out of the anmeic growth we've experienced in this recovery. The fact that it is disaster recovery would provide all sorts of political cover to Rape-publicans who have to stand against 'big government' ideologically but who still need jobs for their constituents.

Don't mean to probe uses of Sandy for cynical political purposes, only to point out that a grand Keynesian opportunity is upon us now and I hope Obama and his team are clever enough to seize upon and exploit it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. I think they will

Fema has money to respond. (Eat that Eric Cantor)

[slackmaster]

49. I think the "20 billion" figure that's been tossed around is absurdly low

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. Early number

It will grow.

[zappaman]

57. Will it grow to a trillion?

This is almost as good as the "there are 60 cm in a meter" assertion you posted!

[onenote]

77. Do you have any expertise in this field?

I assume that those making the projections do this for a living.

[slackmaster]

80. I was out standing in my field just this morning

The weeds need to be pulled again.

[zappaman]

53. I am awaiting the self-delete

like you usually do when you get your ass handed to you.
3...2...1...

[likesmountains 52]

66. This ^

[entanglement]

58. Too high. Even the horrific Japan Earthquake/Tsunami of 2011 caused about $300 billion in damages

A trillion $ seems way too high, even for a storm as big as Sandy.

[nadinbrzezinski]

59. I was going from Donna, and taking into account inflation

Suffice it to say, don't mind being way off

[Honeycombe8]

60. Well, we can't add to the deficit, so someone else is gonna have to pay.

[malaise]

61. Well hopefully we can make lemonade out of lemons

There will be lots of construction and infrastructure related JOBS!

[jsr]

68. That is true.

There is always a lot of spending in the aftermath of a disaster.

[Codeine]

64. Are you even aware of what a trillion is? nt

[SidDithers]

67. There's 60 billion in a trillion, right?...

No, wait. That was centimetres in a metre.



Sid

[dionysus]

69. damn you all to hell Sid,,,

vaht?

[NYC_SKP]

71. One thousand billion.

Measured ardently in economic losses, material losses, cost in repairs labor, overtime, and parts, etc., and the rest of the bullshit....

...one trillion might not be so unbelievable.

[zappaman]

72. So did we hit a trillion yet?

Gotta be close...

[dionysus]

76. let's have a shootout to settle this matter. i say a brazillion!

[Tx4obama]

73. Today the number that is being talked about is: 50 billion. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

78. Trust me, on this one I am glad to be way off. (nt)

[Codeine]

82. That's a bit more than "way off," really.

You know, like 950 billion off. . .

[Azathoth]

74. This is a hurricane, not a Romney tax cut

[dionysus]

75. no, a brazillion!11!

[cherokeeprogressive]

79. Report: Damage estimates from SuperMegaStorm Sandy approaching $1 Trillion.

With the daylight comes eye-opening, awesome scenes of destruction. Damage estimates so far are only $950 billion short of $1 trillion dollars according to insurance claims adjusters...

Developing.

[onenote]

81. Link?

[zappaman]

83. kick

we there yet?