The shock of superstorm Sandy exposed problems in New York and other areas hard hit by the storm. Sandy struck the northeastern United States in October leaving hundreds of thousands of people without electricity. Officials blamed Sandy for over 100 deaths and more than $50 billion in property damage.
The storm left about 8 million people without power for days. This included nearly 5 million people in New York State and New Jersey. Sandy flooded parts of New York City's subway system, and it affected other transportation. It delayed fuel trucks, resulting in long lines at gasoline stations.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said superstorm Sandy showed there were problems with New York's infrastructure. He said the failure of the city's public utility system is of real concern. He said the systems were built at different times and some need to be upgraded.
The storm has led to calls for power companies to bury more electrical lines underground. But, at least one expert says, that did not help New York. Otto Lynch is with Power Line Systems in Wisconsin. He said New York lost power because power lines were underground. He said that means problems are harder to find.
Otto Lynch is also a member of America's Infrastructure Committee at the American Society of Civil Engineers. The group released its last report on the nation's infrastructure in 2009. He said the report gave an average grade of D, a very low grade, to all of America's infrastructure.
For VOA Learning English, I'm Mario Ritter. (Adapted from a radio program broadcast 12Nov2012)
