Photo: Getty Images
The remnants of Hurricane Ida have left more than 50,000 people without power across New Jersey, New York and parts of Pennsylvania. According to AJ+, the number of homes and businesses without power was as high as 150,000 earlier today. Furthermore, PIX 11 is reporting that PSE&G is working to return power to more than 20,000 people across New Jersey and Long Island. Also, more than 13,000 Jersey Central Power & Light customers are waiting for their power to be restored as well.
In the wake of heavy rain, flash floods and tornados, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency.
“Tropical Storm Ida is severely impacting all areas of our state. The safety of our residents is our main priority, and we urge everyone to be informed of local weather conditions and to stay off the roads," Murphy said in a statement obtained by NJ.com.
Much like Murphy, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has directed state agencies to begin emergency response protocols.
"I am urging people in areas forecast for heavy rains to prepare for flooding conditions and stay safe. If you need to travel, please use caution and check local weather conditions first," Hochul wrote in a press release.
In the coming days, emergency response personnel will begin to assess the damage of the storm and put together efforts to rebuild damaged roads, buildings and homes. Meanwhile, state officials will begin preparing for the next storm. Murphy is worried that storms of this nature may become increasingly common in the northeast as they have been in the southeast for decades.
"The world is changing, these storms are coming in more frequently," New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy told a group of reporters on Thursday.
"We have got to leap forward and get out ahead of this. Any infrastructure money we get, I bet a lot of it will be put into resilient infrastructure."
Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.