Hudson Valley residents hit by 8 inches of rain on Sunday are transitioning to “repair recovery mode” as officials start the march toward getting federal disaster assistance and FEMA funding.
“We’re seeing tens of millions of dollars worth of damages,” Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said in an interview.
Sunday’s “1,000-year flood” washed away roads and houses, flooded basements and left the entire region under a boil-water advisory. The flooding also killed 43-year-old Pamela Nugent, a Fort Montgomery woman who was swept away by rushing flood waters together with her dog.
Neuhaus said Nugent’s remains were difficult to recover because of their location.
“I’m sure that her house was making major noise, and it was a tough situation so she decided to evacuate. She had a dog with her,” Neuhaus said. “They were both swept off their feet and ultimately pushed down into a ravine where she ultimately died.”
Now local and state leaders are assessing how much work will be needed and how much money it will cost.
“I ordered my engineers from DPW to do inspections on the village and town bridges to help them out. We also did inspections on two dams to make sure that they were not compromised,” Neuhaus said on Tuesday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul says the state wants to “grease” the application process for federal disaster assistance to make sure municipalities get aid as quickly as possible in order to begin repairing damaged infrastructure.
“I want this to go quickly. As soon as the information is gathered by us, we submit it, and I want the money to start flowing immediately,” she told reporters in Manhattan on Tuesday.
Hochul said she has already spoken with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell; New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand; and Rep. Pat Ryan, whose district includes much of the Hudson Valley, to help streamline the disaster declaration process.
She predicted that the state would easily reach the $37 million threshold in storm…
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