Descriptions:
On Oct. 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy ravaged New York City’s waterfront. The Rockaway Peninsula in Queens still bears the scars. Houses damaged by floodwaters sag with rot and mold. Businesses are shuttered. The beach’s miles-long boardwalk is gone.
One year later, the residents there face a difficult dilemma between staying and leaving, as the reality of climate change—and the fears of another superstorm—are now a daily part of life.
In this video, InsideClimate News’ reporter Maria Gallucci visits the Rockaway’s Belle Harbor neighborhood and talks to Scott and Stacey Nagel. The couple is still rebuilding their lives and the home they lived in there for 27 years.
“We’re not leaving,” said Scott Nagel. “We just need to be better protected.”