Question: what's the range between hig and low tides in NY harbor..upper and lower..if the surge hits at high tide...using your "cork in a bottle" analogy..it's MUCH worse, corect?
Much worse? Of course. But it is not like a rushing tsunami that will crash into the financial district. Just alot water where the engineer who designed everything want it to be and alot of wind.
Remember, the water itself does not do the most damage - it is the objects that the water moves around pushing into things people would rather stay in place.