Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, as well as the second costliest Atlantic hurricane, only surpassed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Hurricane Sandy devastated portions of the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic and North-Eastern United States in late October 2012. Sandy is estimated in early calculations to have caused damage of at least $20 billion (2012 USD).

Sandy developed from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on October 22, quickly strengthened and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Sandy six hours later. On October 24, Sandy became a hurricane, made landfall near Kingston, Jamaica, a few hours later, re-emerged into the Caribbean Sea and strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane. On October 25, Sandy hit Cuba. Early on October 26, Sandy moved through the Bahamas.

Early on October 29, Sandy curved north-northwest and then moved ashore near Atlantic City, New Jersey as a "post-tropical cyclone" with hurricane-force winds. Shortly after, media outlets were calling the storm "Superstorm Sandy".

In Jamaica, winds left 70% of residents without electricity, blew roofs off buildings, killed one, and caused about $55.23 million (2012 USD) in damage.

In Cuba, there was extensive coastal flooding and wind damage inland, destroying some 15,000 homes, killing 11, and causing $2 billion (2012 USD) in damage.

In Haiti, Sandy's outer bands brought flooding that killed at least 54, caused food shortages, and left about 200,000 homeless

In The Bahamas, two died amid an estimated $300 million (2012 USD) in damage.

In the United States, Hurricane Sandy affected at least 24 states, from Florida to Maine and west to Michigan and Wisconsin, with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York. Its storm surge hit New York City on October 29, flooding streets, tunnels and subway lines and cutting power in and around the city. 121 people were killed and the damage has been estimated at $50 billion (USD).

I was seven years old when the Suffolk Floods hit, in 1953. I was living with my family in Oxford Road, Felixstowe. I had to be rescued from the roof of my home.

That night, although it was slightly windy, it was a bright clear night with a slight wind and when we got in, which was about 10.30pm I had some chips and went to bed. The next thing I can remember it was about midnight. My parents came into the room and woke me up. They told me there was water on the floor and looking over the side of the bed. Not being a swimmer and a young child I was very frightened and upset.

My stepfather said that the only thing we could do was climb out of the bedroom window and onto the roof. My parents were extremely wet by now. Quickly, my stepfather lifted me out of the window. I was terrified! The water was probably three or four feet deep; it was racing past the window at quite a speed. You could hear people screaming, things breaking. It was still clear, bright, but there was a very strong wind.

A couple of hours later, the prefab lifted up off its base and started to move and as it started to move we moved forward several blocks towards Langer Road. Quickly, the prefab moved more towards Langer Road and across towards the houses, it was still dark but you could just about see. We could still hear people shouting out from the houses. The waves crashed heavily against the sides of the pre fab. We all wondered if we would make it out alive. The next thing I remember it was daylight and we were waiting to be rescued, hopefully, and round the corner from Langer Road came a rowing boat. The guys pulled up alongside the prefab. There was a drop to get down and by this time both my mother and father were frozen solid, couldn’t move. So a guy came up and lifted me into the boat. Next, we were then taken from there to the top end of Orford Road where the water had subsided, wrapped in blankets and taken to the Cavendish Hotel, where we were met and greeted. From there we were then taken to the local general hospital.

My father was rescued and then taken from the Cavendish. He went to my aunt, who lived in St Andrews Road, and both my mother and I stayed in the general hospital for a week.

Unfortunately I can’t remember names after all this time but I did lose many friends that night. I will never forget that night in 1953 when our home was wrecked and our lives were shattered.

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