In September of last year, Hurricane Ida hit New York ferociously, and brutally Queens suffered the impact of heavy downpours that left floods in various parts of the county, which caused the death of 13 people, mostly trapped in their basement homes.
And this Thursday, the mayor of the Big Apple , Eric Adams, visited South Ozone Park, in Queens, to commemorate the first anniversary of the tragedy that also left hundreds of families affected, and there he announced a series of measures that the City is implementing, in order to prepare New Yorkers before eventual meteorological phenomena.
The local president made reference to the plans for rainwater infrastructure that are being carried out to guarantee that the sewage system can respond better, if there are downpours similar to those of September last year.
“A year ago, Hurricane Ida you It caused the most intense rains recorded in our history and flooded our streets, subways and basements and, what is worse, claimed the lives of 13 from our neighbors,” said Mayor Adams. “Our neighbors have been victims of climate change, which is causing longer droughts, more intense storms and heavier rains in places around the world, but we will not sit idly by and do nothing.”
The mayor mentioned that within the measures to protect the city to prevent future flooding there are works on sewerage and rain gardens on the sidewalks, as well as a specialized drainage system, among other things.
“Queens, where the city recently completed the construction of 2300 new sidewalk rain gardens, for more than a century, the network of storm drains and sewers of the city of New York has served as the main drainage tool in the five boroughs”, added the Mayor. “As New Yorkers continue to experience the growing impacts of climate change, the City is accelerating plans for a multi-layered system of adaptive infrastructure that will make New York City more resilient to Ida-level rain storms. , and an implementation plan to guide this long-term effort is underway.”
The president of The Big Apple took advantage of the moment to make a call to Albany, so that measures be taken to legalize residential basements and guarantee that those who live in these spaces have all the necessary security measures.
“The changes are not going to happen in a day, because we need sustainable changes, but we also have to get Albany to help us legalize these basement apartments,” said the Democratic politician.
La Director of Housing, Jessica Katz, joined that call and added that for now they will continue t working with the City Council and Albany to finally see successful state legislation on additional housing units.
“Last year, we experienced a devastating storm, and our city mourned the loss of life due to unsafe and illegal basements. We should use this anniversary as a reminder that we can do more to create safe and legal homes for New Yorkers currently living in basements,” said Katz. “We know that future storms will hit our city, and it is imperative that we build to weather future storms and protect our neighbors.”
New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams warned that the devastation caused by Hurricane Ida a year ago and the climate emergencies it triggered underscore the urgent need for investments in green infrastructure.
“Historically underserved communities, such as those in southeastern Queens, they continue to be the most affected by climate change, as a result of environmental negligence”, said the head of the legislative body.
“Specified types of investments remain critical to righting these wrongs and are another step toward essential improvements for our neighborhoods. As a city, we must protect all communities by making them more resilient to extreme rainfall, chronic flooding and storms,” Adams added.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. said that what happened after Hurricane Ida in Queens, which among the fatalities included a baby, shows the environmental racism that has reigned in the Big Apple with the most vulnerable communities and affirmed that it is urgent that the authorities prepare everyone better.
“A year ago today, thousands of Queens residents from Flushing to Hollis and beyond saw their lives change in an instant. From the scenes of devastation that many of us in Queens saw firsthand, the picture was clear: Our city was not prepared for a disaster of the magnitude of Ida, and lives were lost because of it,” said the political leader of Queens, who highlighted the union of the communities to help the victims.
“We desperately need new gray and green infrastructure in all five boroughs to withstand the onslaught of climate change, and investments like these are critical steps in that momentum. I look forward to working with the mayor’s office to replicate and expand these investments in all corners of Queens,” added the former councilman.
Rohit T. Aggarwala, New York City’s climate director, admitted that climate change is challenging the city of New York, since the sewers are not designed for the current effects, and mentioned that it is vital that communities are informed about risk areas and ways to protect themselves and react to eventual climatic situations .
“It will take time, but we will make New York City resilient to Ida-level storms through green infrastructure like rain gardens, blue belts, and storm infrastructure. In the meantime, we need New Yorkers to know when dangerous storms are coming and take steps to protect themselves and their property,” the official said.
City improvements to prepare for weather events and floods
- They are working to upgrade and build the sewage system to modern standards
$39 Millions to complete a storm sewer project in Gowanus, Brooklyn is being invested
- $119 millions in advanced micro-tunneling technology to double the size of culverts and reduce or eliminate flooding
- $119 million to elevate streets and add nearly half a mile of new storm sewers to reduce flooding in Broad Channel, Queens
- Each rain garden has the capacity to collect and absorb up to 2,500 gallons of water during each storm.
2,300 new sidewalk rain gardens in Queens and the Bronx over the 000,000 installations