Superstorm Sandy

When Congress voted on federal relief for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, five of the seven Oklahoma representatives and senators voted no. Rep. Tom Cole, who voted yes, warned that someday Oklahoma would be asking for help. That day came last week after a massive tornado hit his district.

As New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has repeatedly promised, most of the beaches and boardwalks are open for tourists. But that's not to say that all is back to normal. Many towns and homeowners are still in the throws of rebuilding, and some are just beginning the demolition phase.

Seven months after Hurricane Sandy slammed into the Jersey Shore, Asbury Park is still waiting for insurance and federal aid money. In the meantime, it borrowed $10 million to repair the waterfront in time for the critical Memorial Day weekend.

Hurricane Sandy devastated the state's coast last fall. But along 80 percent of New Jersey's shore this summer, "you won't notice any difference," says Gov. Chris Christie. He wants tourists to know that.

Forecasters predict as many as six major hurricanes in the Atlantic this year due in part to warmer-than-average ocean temperatures.

Despite advances in predicting dangerous weather and better evacuation planning, some people still stay put when devastation looms. A study of deaths during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 raises a big question: Why didn't the people at risk move to higher ground?

Roughly one in four cellphone towers in the path of Hurricane Sandy went out of service. It was a frustrating and potentially dangerous experience for customers without a landline to fall back on. Now, local officials and communications experts are pushing providers to improve their performance during natural disasters.

Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with Daphne Murphy about her experience living in temporary housing post-Superstorm Sandy. Murphy has been living in shelters and hotels since the storm struck last September.

Besides disaster assistance, FEMA also oversees the creation of flood maps, which are then used to set building codes and flood insurance rates. Superstorm Sandy struck as FEMA was updating those maps, and now some homeowners looking to rebuild face an expensive choice.

When Superstorm Sandy flooded lower Manhattan last year, thousands of lab animals drowned and many scientists lost months or even years of work. The specialty animals can be very difficult to replace, but researchers say the loss of animal life is emotionally devastating and difficult to get over.