JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Officials across the region are preparing for the first major storm system since the devastating impact of Ida over the summer.
Many are still cleaning up from Ida and this week marks nine years since Superstorm Sandy. Precautions like barricading roads to keep cars out of rising waters are being taken to prevent similar damage, CBS2’s Alice Gainer reported Monday.
Catch basins in New York City and Jersey City were cleared of debris.
“The leaves are always a problem and if they block the catch basin that causes local flooding, roadway flooding,” said Greg Kierce, Jersey City’s director of emergency management & homeland security.
Kierce said lessons were learned after Ida.
“We have locations where we put pumps to help force the water out,” he said.
The city saw more than $30 million in damage. Places that never had water before flooded. Sewer lines collapsed and, as of last week, nearly 3,000 people were still looking for FEMA assistance.
Kierce’s big tip before this storm:
“If they see barricades, not to drive through them or around them. During the tropical storm we had over a hundred cars that we had to pull out of the water, many of which contained people we had to rescue,” he said.
“If you lose power, call your outage into your provider and stay clear of any downed power lines,” Gov. Phil Murphy said.
On Long Island, “The Nassau County Office of Emergency Management has been activated and we will be closely monitoring high tide this evening through tomorrow,” said County Executive Laura Curran.
Curran gave the update at an event about the revitalization and storm mitigation project in Island Park, where innovative drainage systems will be installed.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said, after Ida, the city is changing how it alerts people, especially after so many basement apartments flooded. He said they will enforce possible evacuations and travel bans if necessary.
“Hyper-vigilance is where we’re going to be from now on in the city’s history,” de Blasio said.
Strong winds are of concern to many. Forestry crews are on standby in Jersey City. Other towns, like Clifton, are lowering water levels in ponds.
All officials are urging people to stay off roads, if possible, and not to drive or walk through flood waters.
from CBS New York https://ift.tt/2Izr88c
