Published: Nov. 12, 2012 at 8:50 AM<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Erosion caused by Hurricane Sandy reached \"historic proportions,\" suggesting not all Category 1 storms are minimal events, the USGS said. <\/p>\n
Sandy struck the U.S. East Coast in late October as a Category 1 hurricane, the least intense of storms categorized as hurricanes. It later merged with an eastward-bound weather pattern, however, creating a superstorm that left millions of customers without power and more than 100 people dead. <\/p>\n
U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt said aerial surveys indicated that Sandy caused major changes to the East Coast shoreline for hundreds of miles. <\/p>\n
\"Sandy taught us yet again that not all Category 1 hurricanes are created equal,\" McNutt said in a statement. \"The superstorm's enormous fetch over the Atlantic produced storm surge and wave erosion of historic proportions.\" <\/p>\n
USGS said major infrastructure like roads and highways were buried under sand while dune erosion left coastal populations vulnerable to extreme storms. <\/p>\n
McNutt said storms like Sandy can have long-term effects on public health because of pollutants that could be pushed onshore through storm surges. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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USGS: Sandy's damage to beaches historic<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Published: Nov. 12, 2012 at 8:50 AM WASHINGTON, Nov. Continue reading