Jersey Shore rushes to fix defenses for new storm
(CBS News) BELMAR, N.J. - The big story in the Northeast wasn't politics, but the nor'easter that just blew in. The same places that were swamped by Sandy are getting lashed Wednesday night by high winds, rain, snow and an angry sea that threatens to flood the shoreline all over again.
More evacuations have been ordered, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie may have had the best line when he said he was waiting for the locusts and pestilence next. Over 600,000 homes and businesses in six states are still without power nine days after Sandy. That number may grow with this new storm.
On Wednesday in Belmar, New Jersey, city crews rushed to rebuild the sand dunes wiped out by Hurricane Sandy.
Nor'easter bears down on Sandy-battered NYC, N.J.
Sandy victims' concerns: Voting, housing, power
Some evacs ordered ahead of predicted nor'easter
Complete Coverage: Superstorm Sandy
"You know, if we did this for Sandy, it would have been laughed at by the waves," Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty said about the new wall. He said he hopes these new barriers will be enough to keep the nor'easter from flooding his town again.
For the past week, Belmar has been pumping out 60,000 gallons of water per minute. The pumps will stay on during this second storm.
"We wanted to be aggressive about protecting our community from anything that this storm brings to us," said Doherty.
Further south, in Brick Township, Mayor Stephen Acropolis has ordered the evacuation of nearly 10,000 people. "I would think that after what people just went through," he said, "I would think that most people will not stay."
The Di Lorenzos stayed through Sandy, but they're leaving this time. Their home is barely livable.
"I don't know if we can mentally handle another storm," said one of them. "It was terrifying staying here. We were the only people on this whole block."
For two days, front loaders have been hauling away Sandy's wreckage so this storm doesn't blow it back through town.
More than 2.4 million people in New Jersey have had their power restored since Sandy, but 60 mph winds could put many of them back in the dark.
Steve Sanzo hasn't had power for 10 days, but said he still plans to stay, adding: "I'd say there's been many, many, many nor'easters we've had. We can't run from this one. I won't be going. I'll be staying."
As if the wind and the rain weren't bad enough, now the folks along the Jersey shore are dealing with this: Late Wednesday afternoon, the temperatures dropped 32 degrees and the snow is coming down pretty good. This is adding insult to injury for the folks who have no electricity and no heat.
