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Hurricane Sandy ripped into New York in October 2012, taking lives, sparking a huge fire, flooding subways and tunnel connections and leaving thousands without power for days.

As sea levels are predicted to keep rising, Hurricane Sandy was a wake up call to New York and to many other coastal cities that have to face the reality of rising sea levels and increased chances of hurricanes and storm surges. Much of lower Manhattan was up to ten feet underwater and the storm sent a 14-foot surge into New York's harbour that continued for miles up the Hudson River.

As the city continues to mop up, Isabel looks at the ways in which it might prepare for future storms and flooding, from building great walls and sea defences to sealing the subways and tunnels.

Isabel Hilton considers the lessons that New York has to offer other threatened coastal cities - along the Eastern Seaboard of America and right around the world.

(Image: Water floods the Plaza Shops in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Credit: Getty Images)