For loved ones of those affected by Hurricane Sandy, any form of communication was crucial and social media filled that void for many people around the country.
Social media is now giving family and friends a new way to connect with those still in cities and towns without power and the ability to dial out.
Instagram's CEO told the Associated Press that they saw 10 pictures a second being uploaded with the hashtag #Sandy.
Facebook told CNN that Sandy is 2012's second most talked about subject. The first was the superbowl.
There were many common words that showed up including: power, cold, my friends, and stay safe.
Safe is a word that New Jersey native Michael Leonard was excited to see.
"It just helped cause without it you wouldn't really know if they were okay," Leonard said about social media.
Leonard stated that he constantly checked Facebook to see what his friends from home were uploading.
"It makes you more connected cause you feel like you're actually there cause you've got all the pictures of them letting you know. You feel like you didn't completely leave Jersey," Leonard added.
If you would like to join in the conversation about Hurricane Sandy on Twitter or Instagram, these are the current popular hashtags: #sandy, #hurricanesandy, #sandynyc.
