Search on for missing New Jerseyites

PASSAIC, N.J. — As residents and businesses across New Jersey spend the holiday weekend trying to clean up damage from last week’s storm, rescue workers resumed the search for two friends whose car was caught up in the floodwaters.

The remnants of Hurricane Ida killed at least 50 people in six Eastern states.

Nidhi Rana, 18, and Ayush Rana, 21, were last seen Wednesday when their car began floating toward a spot where the water flowed underground toward the Passaic River. Passaic Mayor Hector Lora said Sunday that a dozen search boats were working along with a state police air unit.

Gov. Phil Murphy, who said Saturday that the death toll in New Jersey had reached 27, said at least four people remained missing following what he called a “historic” storm. He said he had sought federal assistance and would ask for more, “because we need it.”

“We had rain in many communities in two or three hours that were equivalent to what they normally get in a month or two,” Murphy said on CBS’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday. “This, sadly, we think is part of what we’re going to be facing, more frequency and more intensity.”

President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit New Jersey and New York City on Tuesday to survey the damage.

Appearing Sunday at a New York City subway stop that sustained heavy flooding, New York Sen. Charles Schumer renewed the call for Congress to pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a reconciliation bill that would dedicate billions to improving flood resiliency and addressing the broader effects of climate change.

“Ida was yet another wake-up call for New York and a nation where too many are hitting the snooze button on big and bold change,” Schumer said at the 28th Street station. Videos showed rivers of water cascading from the street down onto the station’s platform and tracks.