Authorities reported that 11 more people were found dead in basement apartments during Hurricane Ida's continued downpour that has caused devastating floods in the region, which have brought to light previous issues of illegal dwellings.
On Wednesday, officials recorded a high of 3.15 inches of rain falling within one hour in New York City, which caused a shut down in the region's subway system. Search and rescue teams conducted dozens of water rescues to save stranded passengers.
Growing Number of Hurricane Ida Casualties
At least 13 people have previously been reported to have lost their lives to the catastrophic effects. Many residents were overwhelmed by the floods in the city's coastline due to the area not being prone to flooding. The disaster damaged homes and turned at least six basement apartments into traps.
During a press briefing on Friday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that the "danger came from above." She also urged for more effective early warning systems in anticipation of even more devastating natural disasters due to climate change, ABC News reported.
On Friday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said city officials were working on a more effective kind of warning system. This would allow the government to implement a set of actions that would give people more awareness about a disaster.
De Blasio argued that the incidents regarding the deaths of people living in the basement apartments showed the need for people who are far away from the coast to be evacuated. The official noted that Hurricane Ida brought a massive amount of rain in a short period of time.
The city mayor also said that the region would need to implement travel bans more frequently, telling people to get off the streets and to abandon subways. Officials have many options in prioritizing residents who live in basement apartments, such as cell phone alerts and door-to-door evacuations.
The natural disaster has caused the death of at least 46 people in five different states, 25 of which were in New Jersey. Communities found on both sides of the Hudson River also reported record-breaking rainfall that caused widespread damage to the regions, the New York Post reported.
Financial Relief for Victims
The victims of the basement apartment deaths in New York include a two-year-old boy and his parents who were living in Queens who were trapped after floodwaters closed off their exits. Electric power in many areas was also shut down and subways were stopped to a halt while simultaneously forcing New York to issue its first-ever flash flood emergency.
Government officials said that the state would also provide a $10 million fund to aid small businesses that have been devastated by the storm. Gov. Phillip D. Murphy from New Jersey said that the financial support would grant those who are qualified to receive $1,000 to $5,000 grants. He noted that if people can prove they were severely affected by the hurricane, they are eligible to receive the money.
Murphy and Hochul revealed that they were expecting a massive relief fund from the federal government after the declaration of a federal disaster. United States President Joe Biden was expected to announce such a status on Thursday, the New York Times reported.
Related Article: At Least 40 Dead After Afghanistan's Panjshir Province Became Battleground Between Taliban and Resistance Forces
