By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 09:12 EST, 13 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:06 EST, 13 November 2012 . These incredible before and after aerial pictures show the destruction wreaked by Superstorm Sandy on the Atlantic Coast of the U.S. The shocking before and after photos of the New York and New Jersey shoreline reveal in minute detail how much the land was altered in just a few moments. They are part of a large-scale survey of the damage by the U.S. Geological Service, which is attempting to analyse the devastation caused to houses, public services and the lives of people from the battered seaside towns. Scroll down for video . Peaceful: View of Mantoloking, looking west along the New Jersey shore, before Superstorm Sandy hit the barrier island's wide beaches . Torn apart: Days after the storm, the beach, houses and roads are destroyed. Construction crews are seen clearing sand from roads and pushing it seaward. The yellow arrow pinpoints the same spot in the two images . Ravaged: In Seaside Heights, New Jersey - made famous by reality TV show Jersey Shore - part of the pier and its rollercoaster have been thrown into the ocean. Sediment deposited on the island is visible in the background . At risk: A view of Pelican Island, looking northwest across Fire Island, near Old Inlet - a very narrow portion of the island that has experienced breaching in previous large storms . Devastation: The island breached during Sandy, creating a new inlet. Despite the breach, the fishing shack (yellow arrow) remained standing . 'Sandy taught us yet again that not all . Cat-1 hurricanes are created equal,' said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. 'The superstorm's enormous fetch over the Atlantic produced storm surge . and wave erosion of historic proportions. 'We have seized this opportunity to gather unique data on a major coastline-altering event.' As major storms approach, the USGS conducts pre-storm and post-storm flights to gather images along the length of the coastline likely to take the hit of the storm’s landfall. Pictures from these points of impact help scientists understand which areas are likely to undergo the most severe impacts from future storms, and improves future coastal impact forecasting. When the project is complete, it will stretch from the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the South to as far north as Massachusetts. Ordinary day: Ocean Bay Park, Fire Island, New York, looking northwest across the island towards Great South Bay . Changed landscape: Overwash from the beach and narrow dunes carried sand inland towards the interior and bayside of the island, and numerous houses were destroyed or severely damaged . Life-altering: Seaside Heights, looking west along the New Jersey shore.The red arrow points to a building that was washed off of its foundation and moved about a block away from its original location . USGS oceanographer Nathaniel Plant said Sandy caused 'significant beach and dune erosion and minor disruption of infrastructure in the south, to extreme and often catastrophic erosion, overwash and sediment deposition and inundation on northern beaches like Mantoloking, New Jersey.' Overwash occurs when waves are higher than protective sand dunes, sweeping sand from the beach inland. This can wreak havoc on roads and public transport, bury buildings and put lives at risk. The photos will help USGS identify areas particularly vulnerable to severe coastal change. Before Sandy, the service predicted erosion of 91 per cent of the Delmarva coastline, 98 per cent of beaches and dunes in New Jersey and 93 per cent in New York. It recorded drastic changes on Fire Island in New York, where the beach all but disappeared overnight, seaside homes reduced to matchsticks and 3ft of sand dumped in back gardens. USGS coastal geologist Cheryl Hapke said: 'On average the dunes eroded back 70 feet - the equivalent of 30 years of change. 'Our data also showed that dunes lost as much as 10 feet of elevation.' VIDEO: Before and after: The wake of Sandy's destruction along the East Coast . VIDEO: Aerial tour of Sandy's destruction in Brick Township, NJ .
Dramatic aerial photos show damage caused by superstorm in New York and New Jersey .
The data will eventually stretch from North Carolina to Massachusetts .
It will help forecasters and governments identify and protect vulnerable areas in future .
By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 09:12 EST, 13 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:06 EST, 13 November 2012 . These incredible before and after aerial pictures show the destruction wreaked by Superstorm Sandy on the Atlantic Coast of the U.S. The shocking before and after photos of the New York and New Jersey shoreline reveal in minute detail how much the land was altered in just a few moments. They are part of a large-scale survey of the damage by the U.S. Geological Service, which is attempting to analyse the devastation caused to houses, public services and the lives of people from the battered seaside towns. Scroll down for video . Peaceful: View of Mantoloking, looking west along the New Jersey shore, before Superstorm Sandy hit the barrier island's wide beaches . Torn apart: Days after the storm, the beach, houses and roads are destroyed. Construction crews are seen clearing sand from roads and pushing it seaward. The yellow arrow pinpoints the same spot in the two images . Ravaged: In Seaside Heights, New Jersey - made famous by reality TV show Jersey Shore - part of the pier and its rollercoaster have been thrown into the ocean. Sediment deposited on the island is visible in the background . At risk: A view of Pelican Island, looking northwest across Fire Island, near Old Inlet - a very narrow portion of the island that has experienced breaching in previous large storms . Devastation: The island breached during Sandy, creating a new inlet. Despite the breach, the fishing shack (yellow arrow) remained standing . 'Sandy taught us yet again that not all . Cat-1 hurricanes are created equal,' said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. 'The superstorm's enormous fetch over the Atlantic produced storm surge . and wave erosion of historic proportions. 'We have seized this opportunity to gather unique data on a major coastline-altering event.' As major storms approach, the USGS conducts pre-storm and post-storm flights to gather images along the length of the coastline likely to take the hit of the storm’s landfall. Pictures from these points of impact help scientists understand which areas are likely to undergo the most severe impacts from future storms, and improves future coastal impact forecasting. When the project is complete, it will stretch from the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the South to as far north as Massachusetts. Ordinary day: Ocean Bay Park, Fire Island, New York, looking northwest across the island towards Great South Bay . Changed landscape: Overwash from the beach and narrow dunes carried sand inland towards the interior and bayside of the island, and numerous houses were destroyed or severely damaged . Life-altering: Seaside Heights, looking west along the New Jersey shore.The red arrow points to a building that was washed off of its foundation and moved about a block away from its original location . USGS oceanographer Nathaniel Plant said Sandy caused 'significant beach and dune erosion and minor disruption of infrastructure in the south, to extreme and often catastrophic erosion, overwash and sediment deposition and inundation on northern beaches like Mantoloking, New Jersey.' Overwash occurs when waves are higher than protective sand dunes, sweeping sand from the beach inland. This can wreak havoc on roads and public transport, bury buildings and put lives at risk. The photos will help USGS identify areas particularly vulnerable to severe coastal change. Before Sandy, the service predicted erosion of 91 per cent of the Delmarva coastline, 98 per cent of beaches and dunes in New Jersey and 93 per cent in New York. It recorded drastic changes on Fire Island in New York, where the beach all but disappeared overnight, seaside homes reduced to matchsticks and 3ft of sand dumped in back gardens. USGS coastal geologist Cheryl Hapke said: 'On average the dunes eroded back 70 feet - the equivalent of 30 years of change. 'Our data also showed that dunes lost as much as 10 feet of elevation.' VIDEO: Before and after: The wake of Sandy's destruction along the East Coast . VIDEO: Aerial tour of Sandy's destruction in Brick Township, NJ .
aerial pictures show the destruction wreaked by New York and New Jersey shoreline reveal in complete, it will stretch from the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the South to as far north as help USGS identify areas particularly vulnerable