Damage:

• Two counties – Suffolk and Nassau – had some of the most severe damages

• 11 million – 90% – of Long Island Power Authority’s customers were without power until November.

Recovery:

• Recovery managed by Federal Emergency Management Agency-affiliated programs.

• Long Beach boardwalk repaired after storm, but 20 percent of homes remain uninhabitable.

Statistics:

• Long Island sustained $6.7 billion, or 21% of total New York State property damages.

Reactions:

Alyssa Yurasits, Gallatin Sophomore, from Massapequa, Long Island.

“Our house was directly on the bay, but the storm left us without a home. By the time our neighborhood was announced as a mandatory evacuation zone, our cars had already flooded and the tides were still rising. Waves had already started to destroy the first story of my house. Boats were crashing through the walls of my neighbors’ bedrooms.

“Thankfully, my family only lost our possessions. Some of my neighbors lost their lives, trapped inside burning walls and collapsing floors.

“After the storm, we scavenged for apartments and hotels. It took about two weeks to secure a new “home.” FEMA attempted to help — posting an online form for hurricane victims and setting up help stations about every five miles. It was unfortunate for all of the victims, because these efforts were wasted without electricity or transportation. FEMA took about five months to even respond to my family.

“I can honestly say that the only reason I now have a home is because my house was rebuilt by the hands of friends. We were lucky – there are still many, many empty plots of land in my community where houses once stood. It’s unfair that my neighbors must suffer without any help.”