>> reporter: the boats bringing people to where they could be trucked to safety. >> come on, mommy. >> reporter: whole families huddling together in the backs of trucks. >> the entire first floor gone. we were able to go up on the second floor, which was us. the water is almost gone. we have a baby and an elderly person. >> the baby. the baby is in here. >> reporter: the frantic rescue operation began after sandy's storm surge swamped new jersey. >> it happened so fast. within 15 minutes we had ten feet of water. >> reporter: stunned residents like vincent grabbed whatever they could as the waters rose. >> heartbreaking, heartbreaking. then you look. there's nothing there no more. nothing. you can't salvage anything. >> reporter: new jersey took the brunt of sandy's wrath, the coast especially hit hard. these images from the town of seaside heights. neighborhoods consumed by sand and water. down the shore, look at this. the community of seabright before sandy.