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National Guard troops work on cleaning a street as people continue to try and recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, USA, 15 November 2012. Many communities in the area are still working on clean up from the flooding caused by the storm surge and are without power.  EPA/JUSTIN LANE

New York - A bad cough is going around Far Rockaway, Queens. It is just one example of the post-storm health problems resident of hard-hit areas are exposed to in the aftermath.

Brett Scudder, a community activist, says he has come across many people who have a cough and migraine headaches.

Dr. Manny Alvarez of Fox News says migraines and respiratory problems could be signs of toxic exposure.

The city’s Department of Health says recent testing shows outdoor air quality is good. But officials warn about indoor air quality.

Airborne toxins could come from mold in a flooded basement. We saw mold covering the walls of one basement. Health officials warn people to wear gloves and masks when cleaning out the debris.

Both my photographer and I started getting dizzy; we were down in the basement for just a few minutes.

Volunteers with Heart to Heart, a mobile medical unit in Far Rockaway, say respiratory illness has been the second biggest problem with people who have come in for help, right behind high blood pressure from stress.

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