Biden declares emergency in New York, New Jersey
Biden visits Louisiana to assess damage as a million people are left without power
The death toll from Ida continued to swell as the hurricane-turned-tropical storm rained destruction. At least 49 people were killed in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, sparking flash floods and leaving thousands of people without power. Biden approved emergency declarations for New York and New Jersey, freeing federal resources to aid the storm response
Police went door to door in search of more possible victims and drew up lists of the missing as the death toll rose to 49 yesterday in the catastrophic flooding set off across the US Northeast by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.
At least 25 people perished in New Jersey, the most of any state. Most drowned after their vehicles were caught in flash floods. At least six people remained missing in the state.
In New York City, 11 people died when they were unable to escape rising water in their lowlying apartments. New York’s subways were running yesterday with delays or not at all.
North of the city, commuter train service remained suspended or severely curtailed. In the Hudson Valley, train tracks were covered in several feet of mud. Floodwaters and a falling tree also took lives in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York.
While the storm ravaged homes and the electrical grid in Louisiana and Mississippi, leaving more than 800,000 people without power yesterday, it seemingly proved more lethal over 1,000 miles away, where the Northeast death toll outstripped the 13 lives reported lost so far in the Deep South.
In New York City, teams of police officers knocked on doors to check for anyone left behind. Police reviewed emergency calls from when the storm hit to pinpoint where people may have been in harm’s way. Calls to the city’s 911 system Wednesday night peaked at 12 times above normal.
US President Joe Biden visited Louisiana yesterday to get a first-hand look at the destruction wrought by, the monster storm that devastated the southern portion of the state and left a million people without power.
“This storm has been incredible, not only here but all over the East Coast,” Biden said during a meeting with officials. “I know you’ve got to be frustrated about the restoration of power,” he said, adding the government was working “24/7” with electric companies and supplying generators.
This storm has been incredible, not only here, but all over the East Coast. I know you’ve got to be frustrated about the restoration of power.”
Joe Biden | US President during a visit to Louisiana
Emergency declarations
Earlier, Biden approved emergency declarations in New York and New Jersey, allowing the states to access more federal funds to deal with the damage.
People across large swaths of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut spent Thursday coping with waterlogged basements, power outages, damaged roofs and calls for help from friends and relatives stranded by flooding.
At least 16 have died in the state of New York, officials said, including 13 in New York City.