A look at what Sandy brought to New York

NOV 5 — Katrina was to New Orleans yesterday, as Sandy is to New York/New Jersey today.

It’s extremely tough to describe the wide range of emotions one encounters in viewing the unfolding of destruction in real time by Mother Nature. No, it’s not incurring God’s wrath, as the Mercy and Compassion is greater than His wrath. But, yes, it may be attributed to man’s benign neglect of being responsible stewards for the planet.

The thoughts appear to be scattered, but that’s the nature of being an eyewitness to devastation and unable to do much about it.  The helplessness is the same that South/South-East Asia encountered several years ago or last year in Japan with the tsunami. The only difference is that we (not in the region) witnessed it in real time, and now you, in Asia, witnessed a hurricane named Sandy in New York/New Jersey.

Today, Katrina and Sandy may not be popular names for newborn girls, as they wrecked havoc, chaos, and destruction in their paths. I wonder what name Malaysians would have given to a hurricane of such severity?

During Katrina, the Emir of Qatar announced a financial package for the devastated New Orleans community. Does Malaysia have a similar vision and will to make a timely announcement? Let’s put politics to the side!

Humbled New Yorkers

It has been a tough week for us New Yorkers, and attitude adjustment is probably the main take-away from the “storm of the century.” The cancellation of the largest marathon in the world, NYC Marathon, at the last minute by Mayor Bloomberg, while negatively impacting his challenging poll numbers, is a minor blip in the bigger scheme of things that matter.

The super-computers may have predicted the severity of the storm. However, the people, including myself, did not prepare for it as seriously as we should have. It was named “Sandy”, hardly fear inducing. Perhaps it’s because we have four seasons, having encountered and endured winter snowstorms and summer heat-waves over the years, and, this is NY, the epicentre of the world.

We New Yorkers believe that “if you can make it in NY, you can make it anywhere”, and, the “been there, done that” attitude, actual or vicarious, is a source of (humble) pride. Furthermore, the media reinforces the importance of New York on the global stage, as similar typhoons hit Asian capitals, but, say, CNN or BBC, did not provide similar coffee-induced coverage.

The financial importance and influence that was/is New York is flushed out when the capital markets are forced to take an unintended “holiday” due to weather. With NY closing, the capital market participants and ensuing liquidity affect markets opening in Asia as the focus and chatter continues to be on New York.

That notwithstanding, Man may have conquered the deepest oceans to the highest peaks (including the balloonist’s skydive from the edge of space that also broke the sound barrier), split an atom or cloned a sheep, but it will neither control Mother Nature nor pre-empt its path.

Power

Sandy’s howling winds created horizontal sheets of rain with gusts of 80mph that uprooted trees, with some falling on power lines, hence, producing her first causality: power. A close second was flooding, be it the evacuation of the “Las Vegas of the east”, Atlantic City, or basements flooding in apartment buildings or multi-million dollar homes near the water.

Probably the best way to get around and see firsthand Nature’s induced new obstacle course is with a mountain bike.  One of the most common sights is floating interior furnishings including kids’ toys/dolls and external pieces of homes. The word surreal comes up repeatedly.

It’s not only the sound of power generators and pumps removing water from basements chorus-like in some neighbourhoods, but also seeing the strains on homeowners’ faces as they put out some of their soggy worldly possessions for garbage pick-up.

While trees can be a wonderful canopy to protect against the summer’s searing sun and provide landscaping aesthetics, they can also remodel a home, turn cars into low riders, and snap above-ground power lines as if they are kite-strings! The challenge then becomes one of the “live” wires!

When the power goes, assuming the decision to acquire a Plan B generator was deferred again till next season, the “new normality” kicks in for the family and community. For many first generation migrants from developing countries, it’s a stark reminder of home and definitely not “home sweet home.”

For native New Yorkers, it’s more challenging, especially if the power is out for a few days and the weather is extreme, too hot or cold. Luckily, the fall is a wonderful time to be in NY, and is bearable, but the power companies either become heroes (restored quickly) or goats (with appropriate qurbani).

The loss of power is also the loss of the landline phone, cell phone (tower may be “out”) and Internet. The inability for many to connect to Facebook, emails, access news, etc., flushes out how addicted we’ve become to “www.” Thus, a loss of power is (or should be) a wake-up call for families more connected to the Internet than each other.

[As a side-note: I’ve been coming to Malaysia for more than decade and I see the younger generation, as young as 3-4 years old, as extremely Web savvy and engaged in video games, where they put me to shame repeatedly. But, I wonder if they will have the people communications skills so necessary in an inter-connected world where “people” skills are still paramount for leaders?]

Kindness

There is a human side of the storm. The outpouring of concern immediately from family, friends, colleagues and even people I met once at conferences or those who have read my writing from so many countries via phone calls, emails, BBMs, WhatsApp, etc., was/is humbling. The compassionate connection really says something wonderful about the “extended family becoming nuclear family” during tragedies, ie., we were not alone!

Even strangers, much like on Christmas, Eid-il-Fitr or Diwali eve, went out of their way to ask, “How you doing or holding up” or how/if they can help, during the storm! The asking is oftentimes more positively impactful on the psyche than the actual help!

The one wish that myself and probably most of humanity have is rolling over the “feel good feelings”, but, sadly, the carry-over only comes out during the next tragedy.

Property

The property damage has been incredible, US$50 billion (RM153 billion) within 48 hours, and it’s the emotional connection, as silly as it may sound, to worldly possessions that is the temporary “tear jerker.” The negotiations with the insurance companies are about to start, and hopefully the fine print was read and understood by the homeowners (and car owners) on definition of, say, flood (from skies or underground).

Maybe for some damaged houses, whose mortgages are underwater, like mine, meaning the mortgage payments are worth more than the value of the property, this may have been the much needed “damage from heaven” lifeline, hmm?

Although I encountered minor challenges, my thoughts are with people who have a hole in the roof (not looking for new skylights), windows/doors blown away (not looking to remodel), water in the basement (not looking for an indoor pool), and so on. The storm did not discriminate between million-dollar homes and bungalows, as water flows along the path of least resistance, and the rich and middle class were one.

I hope the compassion that insurance companies portray in their commercials is shown to these unlucky homeowners.

I wonder how Islamic insurance (Takaful) would handle such claims, spirit of coverage versus the fine print?

People

The good (mostly), bad (some) and ugly (few) in people has come out, be it looting stores, robbing houses, pulling guns while waiting in snaking lines to get gas (for the car), etc., but there were also many selfless gestures that make you believe in humanity again and the power of good.

The looting neither has geographical borders nor defined nationalities or ethnicities; such people exist and will always exist. One wonders how they would feel if they are looted, robbed, burglarised, etc? There have been many eye-witness accounts of, say, televisions taken from nursing homes, shops, homes, and so on.

Tempers are going to flare when people are waiting in lines for hours to fill the car tank, and then, as you’re about to refill, an announcement comes that either there is “no gas”, limit to US$20 (price of a gallon is about US$4) or only the expensive/premium gas is available. At many places, there are not enough police to keep these tempers in check.

One of the greatest silver linings in tragedies is that it brings strangers, friends, and families together.

The extraordinary hours ordinary people put in to helping out at soup kitchens and shelters, shuttling medicine and food to people trapped in their residences, or staying with those petrified of being alone is proof that the power of good overcomes the self! These are the many unnamed heroes who are just doing what comes naturally to them, and they are the ones that deserve a parade as the “new normal” begins to set into the psyche of the state and country.

Sandy may have short-circuited power and devastated property, but she also brought out the best of people. We will rebuild. We will be strong. We will remember the good in people.

We are now spiritually connected to the people in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, and other places that have encountered Nature’s wrath.

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.