On Day After Tropical Storm Isaias, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo Declares State of Emergency
Today, the Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, declared a state of emergency for numerous regions of the state so that local governments could recovery properly. Aside from the flooding, downed trees and other damage, the severe weather caused hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to lose power. As of the time of his announcement, well over half a million were still without power.
This comes hours after an announcement made by the Governor’s office directing the State Department of Public Service to investigate utility companies for their lack of foresight and preparation for a storm that was forecast days ahead of its arrival.
“I am directing the state Department of Public Service to launch an investigation into Verizon, PSEG Long Island, Con Edison, Central Hudson Gas & Electric, Orange and Rockland Utilities, and New York State Electric & Gas to understand how such a failure could have taken place. New Yorkers deserve answers and they deserve better,” said the Governor
New York National Guard were directed to mobilize 50 soldiers with vehicles to assist Putnam County officials with storm response, cleanup missions and ice and water distribution.
The emergency declaration is for the following boroughs, counties and regions: Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk & Westchester Counties.
The following tweet from the Governor clarifies how the state of emergency applies as well to all counties bordering those specified above.
Following Tropical Storm Isaias, we have declared a state of emergency in Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester Counties.
The state of emergency applies to all counties bordering the 11 specified.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 5, 2020
The following are details provided by the Governor’s Office:
Electric outages by company are as follows:
| CHGE | 64,863 |
| CONED | 180,274 |
| NGRID | 651 |
| NYSEG | 78,103 |
| ORU | 68,614 |
| PSEG-LI | 310,670 |
| RGE | 16 |
Current power outage numbers by county are as follows:
| Albany | 240 |
| Bronx | 23,989 |
| Columbia | 1,083 |
| Delaware | 140 |
| Dutchess | 43,710 |
| Erie | 412 |
| Kings | 4,152 |
| Monroe | 270 |
| Nassau | 135,720 |
| Orange | 44,757 |
| Putnam | 36,266 |
| Queens | 49,981 |
| Rensselaer | 230 |
| Richmond | 17,631 |
| Rockland | 41,395 |
| Suffolk | 169,416 |
| Sullivan | 7,815 |
| Ulster | 8,046 |
| Warren | 169 |
| Westchester | 117,636 |