People visited the Statue of Liberty before the weather got stormy.

The Statue of Liberty reopened on October 28. The day was also the statue’s 126th birthday. The statue was closed for a year so workers could make it safer for visitors. They made the stairs less steep so it is easier to climb to the statue’s crown. They also built an elevator to make it easier for people with disabilities to visit. The new elevator lets people in wheelchairs travel to just below the Statue of Liberty’s feet. From there, they can look up inside the statue.

People came to Liberty Island to celebrate the statue’s reopening. But the celebration was cut short because Hurricane Sandy was getting closer. Workers at the Statue of Liberty had to get ready for the big storm. They closed the statue down again.

The Statue of Liberty survived Hurricane Sandy. But Liberty Island had flooding and some damage. It had to stay closed until workers could clean up and pump the water off the island. People in New York, New Jersey, and other nearby states were also affected by the hurricane. Many areas were flooded, and people’s homes were damaged. Millions of people were without electric power. Emergency workers helped people who needed food, shelter, and other care.

Image credit: ©Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Related Links

• Statue of Liberty National Monument
  Learn more about the Statue of Liberty from photographs and other information.
• Lady Liberty’s Torch Cam
  See live views of the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor, the Hudson River, and the New York City skyline.