Ida blamed for two more deaths in New Jersey

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Saturday said two additional deaths in his state have been attributed to Hurricane Ida.

Details about the fatalities were not immediately available, but they bring Ida’s death toll on the U.S. mainland to 67, according to an NBC News tally.

Ida struck near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, on Aug. 29 as a Category 4 hurricane, although winds had briefly reached a Category 5 level of 157 mph. Landfall caused catastrophic flooding and blew roofs off homes, but more people have died in the densely populated areas of the Northeast, mostly because of Ida’s historic floodwaters.

With 27 deaths in New Jersey, 17 in New York, 5 in Pennsylvania, and 1 in Connecticut, the urban Northeast has seen 50 storm-related fatalities, according to NBC News’ figures. Louisiana with 12, Mississippi and Alabama with two each and Maryland with one account for the rest.

As remnants of Ida moved into New York City, record rain totals were recorded, and the National Weather Service issued its first-ever Flash Flood Emergency for the city, urging millions to seek higher ground if necessary. Tornadoes were also reported in the Northeast.

NBC New York on Saturday reported that at least 10 fatalities in the city occurred in basements or cellars that had been illegally converted to housing.

The White House said President Joe Biden will travel to Manville, New Jersey, and Queens, New York, on Tuesday to survey the damage.

Biden has issued emergency declarations for New York and New Jersey, allowing for federal aid.

Biden will also visit three memorial sites next Saturday — Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and New York City — to “honor and memorialize” the lives of nearly 3,000 people killed in the 9/11 terror attacks.

source: nbcnews.com