Hi everyone,

Earlier today, I convened our state's emergency management team along with local town officials and legislators for a news briefing at Oxford Town Hall to provide Connecticut's residents with the latest updates on the severe flooding that is impacting so many people right now, particularly in western portions of the state.

The sudden and severe flooding has caused significant damage to infrastructure in the western portion of the state, resulting in evacuations, rescues, and more than two dozen road closures that we anticipate will need to be closed for an extended period.

To help with the recovery, I've declared a state of emergency for Connecticut, which is a procedure that can expedite some of the resources needed to recover from the storm. In particular, it can prioritize the assistance of certain federal resources such as equipment and work crews that can supplement our local and state crews to repair and clean up infrastructure damage.

Additionally, my office and our emergency management team are working with local officials to assemble the necessary data needed for Connecticut to qualify for potential federal disaster aid to help with the costs of recovery from this major storm, including for impacted homeowners and businesses, as well as for public infrastructure.

Municipal officials in the impacted areas are strongly advised to continue coordinating with their assigned regional coordinators from the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security on any requests for assistance.

For real-time travel updates on road closures, visit ctroads.org.

Stay safe,
Ned