Angry New Yorkers fume at AOC and De Blasio in 'mercy tour' of Queens
By: Andrea Blanco For (MSN)
Bummer
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
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Angry New York City residents fumed at Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Ortez and Mayor Bill de Blasio about the lack of warning as they toured a Queens neighborhood to survey damage left in the wake of Hurricane Ida, which killed 13 people in the city.
On Monday, De Blasio, AOC and Senator Chuck Schumer visited Woodside five days after the flood hit the city without warning, with rain falling more than three inches every hour and causing New York City's first ever flash flood emergency.
The visit came on the same day President Joe Biden approved major disaster declarations for New York and New Jersey, which greenlights the use of FEMA funds after $85 million was lost in public infrastructure and property in the two states.
More than 40 people were killed as the Hurricane hit both states last week.
But as AOC and De Blasio toured Woodside, where nine people were killed, angry residents railed against them.
'I don't blame climate change, I blame the mayor,' Woodside resident Danette Rivera told the New York Post.
'There was absolutely no warning. I wasn't expecting water from my own drain to be the one that's going to kill me.'
Angry residents heckled and blamed de Blasio for the city's unpreparedness in the face of hte storm last week, and were infuriated by AOC's attempt to pin the blame on climate change.
'This storm has now rewritten the map,' De Blasio said on Monday.
'We used to think that flooding was a coastal thing. It's not anymore. It can happen all over the city.'
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'They swore that it wouldn't happen again, and that they would fix the sewers.
'Nine people died in this neighborhood. What does it take for them to do something? You know how politics are. It's never about the people,' Woodside resident Isabella Lizal told the New York Daily.
AOC refused to criticize de Blasio when asked if he adequately warned New Yorkers about the storms.
'We needed more advance notice from the National Weather Service,' she said.
The NWS had tweeted a warning at 3.23pm on Wednesday.
A flood emergency was issued almost six hours later, at 9:30pm, with only one hour notice for the emergency.
Ocasio-Ortez tweeted about the deaths in New York that occurred when people were trapped in fast-filling basement apartments as they tried to escape.
'How the climate crisis is an inequality crisis: Many of these deaths occurred in basement dwellings, many of which are illegal and growing in number due to the unaffordable housing crisis, but do not meet safety standards required to keep people safe in incidents like flash floods' she said on September 2, a day after the storm.
'These are working class, immigrant, and low-income people & families,' she added.
More federal aid is expected for people in six New Jersey counties and five New York counties affected by devastating flooding last week from the remnants of the hurricane after President Biden approved major disaster declarations.
Families affected by the hurricane could receive up to $34,000 in FEMA federal grants that won't need to be repaid.
Ida left devastation in New York, where 13 died, and New Jersey, where 27 victims were killed by the storm.
NYPD released a dramatic bodycam footage of an officer swimming in a flooded basement, trying to open the door to save people trapped inside their home at 64th street.
A family of three was found dead inside - Ang Gelu Lama, 50, Mingma Sherpa, 48, and their 2-year old son.
Gov Hochul said an initial assessment found that the storm damaged more than 1,200 homes and caused about $50million in damage to public infrastructure and property.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said damage to city infrastructure was estimated at $35 million.
At least 50 people were killed in six Eastern states as record rainfall last Wednesday overwhelmed rivers and sewer systems.
Biden is scheduled to visit New Jersey and New York City on Tuesday to survey storm damage, the White House said. The storm killed at least 27 people in New Jersey and 13 in New York City.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, touring flood-damaged areas of Lambertville on Labor Day, said Biden's major disaster declaration will allow individuals to receive assistance, including grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses.
An existing emergency declaration issued last week enabled state, county and local governments to get reimbursed for disaster spending, Murphy said.
In New Jersey, the disaster declaration covers Bergen, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic, and Somerset counties.
In New York, it allows for individual assistance for people in Bronx, Queens, Kings, Richmond and Westchester counties.
Murphy said he would be talking to Biden during his visit to about adding other counties to the major disaster declaration.
Murphy joined state and local officials on a walking tour of Lambertville, passing homes with belongings piled outside as residents spent their Labor Day clearing flood debris, aided at one point by a bulldozer.
The major disaster declaration could help people like Nick Cepparulo, who told Murphy all of his family's first-floor possessions were washed away soon after they got in their car and raced for higher ground.
'We´ll be all right,' Cepparulo told reporters after speaking with Murphy. 'We need a little help getting there.'
In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Sen. Chuck Schumer and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spent part of the morning touring of storm damage in Queens with Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
One resident greeted de Blasio with an arm on his shoulder and a quip about their flooded homes.
'Welcome to Woodside,' she said. 'We have swimming pools in each house. So you can get your bathing suit on and take a dip with us.'
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Unfortunate that people weren't ready for this but not surprised
For anyone who listened to the mayor or AOC, one couldn't help getting the impression that they were using the tragedy to advance thier narrative on "climate change."
You are soooo correct in that assumption.
Sounds more like the city/state weren't ready for it. Inadequate drainage sounds like the main culprit.
Surprised New Jersey residents aren't more upset. Seem to remember last hurricane they had massive flooding with their sewers backing up; and subway/electrical being completely submerged to the point it became an underground river.
Guess NY and NJ politicians had better stop looking at social projects using up tax payer money; and start planning on a massive investment in infrastructure before they get some unexpected new ocean side properties.
When people are in a hurt, the last thing they want to see is politicians showing up for a dog and pony show photo op for nothing more than political gain!
What a waste. Trump could have been there throwing toilet paper at the residents.
God could have shown up with Jesus and Mary tagging along, the very same residents would have yelled at them also.