Clean Up Begins In The Northeast After Deadly Historic Storm

Clean efforts are underway in the Northeast after remnants of Hurricane Ida ravaged multiple states, claiming the lives of at least 45 people in its path. 

Damage from the historic storm spans over 1,000 miles across the nation after it first made landfall along the Gulf Coast and trudged north, flooding parts of Tennessee, sparking tornadoes in New Jersey and flooding in New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. 

Officials reported the death toll from the storm rose to 45 after 23 people in New Jersey, 13 people in NYC, three people in Westchester County, five Pennsylvania residents, and one person in both Connecticut and Maryland lost their lives. 

 “This is a tragic loss for our city,” NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio wrote in a tweet on Thursday (September 3). Some residents are still reported missing as recovery and clean up efforts get underway.

Crews Rescue Passengers, Remove Stranded Cars

Record level floodwaters trapped public transportation riders for hours as emergency workers navigated dangerous conditions to rescue them. Dozens of passengers reported being stuck on a New Jersey train for almost 10 hours with no power while crews worked to rescue them. 

“The power’s out. There’s no air conditioning, there’s no power or electricity. There’s no water, there’s no lights. There’s, I think, one functioning bathroom,” a passenger told CBS2.

Some roadways and railways remain closed as crews work to restore service. Firefighters made their way to passengers but had to first access if the electricity on the train tracks posed a risk.  

Police in New York reported towing more than 500 cars from the submerged Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx after they were stranded. In other still-flooded areas, police are double checking stranded vehicles for any victims.

Federal Aid Approved

Late Thursday (September 2), President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations made by New York and New Jersey state leaders. The approval clears the way for federal emergency aid to reach the states and citizens to assist in recovery efforts.

To donate to Hurricane Ida relief efforts, please click here.

If you, or someone you know has been directly impacted by Hurricane Ida, check out available resources here.

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