The governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, said this Saturday that the floods this Friday in the state were “historic” with the paralysis of public transportation, roads and airports, but they did not cause fatalities. She caused “even the zoo’s sea lions to try to escape” the pond, the Democrat said.
“This event was historic. In some areas, records were broken. And it is the most rain ever recorded at John F. Kennedy Airport (…) And in some places, it will be the most rain ever recorded in 70 years,” stood out.
Although the rain has stopped this Saturday and normality has been restored in the transportation system, the state of emergency remains in force in New York City and the regions of Long Island and Mid-Hudson.
According to authorities, there was more than nine inches (about 23 centimeters) of rain in Nassau County, which is east of the Big Apple; Some parts of New York City saw flooding of six to eight inches (15 to 20.32 centimeters), while Westchester County, north of the city, saw more than six inches of water. .
Hochul noted that these storms used to be seen “once in a century,” but this is the third time since he took office two years ago that such a weather event has occurred in the state. “We know this is a result of climate change. Unfortunately, this is the new normal and it makes us more prepared than ever,” he added.
The mayor of New York, Eric Adams, defended himself against the criticism that surrounds him today for his late response to the chaos experienced in the city due to the intense rain that has caused flooding and problems with the largest transportation system in the nation. .
“If someone was caught off guard (by the rain), then they had to be living under a rock,” he said in an interview with radio station 1010 Wins. Immediately afterwards, the mayor highlighted that he has “a great team of professionals who know their job.”
“I think it’s really a benefit for New Yorkers to see that it’s not just the mayor but a group of professionals,” he simply noted.
The intense rain that has fallen for hours, and which led to a declaration of a state of emergency, has caused chaos with roads closed, streets turned into lakes, the old subway system completely interrupted on some routes or partially on others, leaving thousands of people doing everything possible to get to their jobs or homes.
Faced with this transportation chaos and criticism of his management in the face of bad weather, Adams told New Yorkers that “this too shall pass.” Approximately 2.4 million people use the city’s subway and 1.2 million use buses. In some schools they had to be taken to the upper floors due to flooding.