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‘Forgotten borough’ felt brunt of hurricane’s force

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Photos by Q. Sakamaki

Staten Island was savagely slammed by Hurricane Sandy, causing massive property destruction and 23 deaths as of this week. After the storm, Staten Islanders started the painful task of emptying out their flood- and storm-damaged houses. At a relief station, kids ate hot dogs while a woman left homeless huddled for warmth under a pile of comforters.

The least-populous borough suffered more than half the city’s deaths from Sandy. Outrage on the devastated island surged when the mayor deigned to proceed with the New York  Marathon, which starts there — but he backpedaled at the last minute due to pressure from the public and his own administration officials, like Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, as well as Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

Photos by Q. Sakamaki