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Dear John,
We’re in the middle of a deadly Hurricane Season. Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall this month, lashing the South with deadly wind and flooding. The destruction these hurricanes left in their path is horrifying. I’m relieved so many people were able to safely evacuate, and my heart breaks for the lives lost in this disaster.
Storms, heavy rains, and intense hurricanes are becoming more frequent and severe with climate change. Extreme rainfall is now a regular part of New York’s climate reality.
How prepared is NYC for the 2024 Hurricane Season? Our analysis → [[link removed]]
When Hurricane Ida hit New York City in 2021, the storm laid bare the City’s lack of preparedness for extreme rainfall. Unprecedented heavy rains overwhelmed the sewer system and caused torrential flooding in our subways, streets, and basements—tragically taking the lives of 13 New Yorkers.
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Flooded station in 2021 in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Credit: Kerry Burke/New York Daily News
And two years later, Tropical Storm Ophelia brought yet another major rainstorm that shut down subway lines, damaged homes and hospitals, and flooded the streets. As much as 8.65 inches of rainfall fell during a 24-hour period.
Thankfully, no New Yorkers died during Ophelia, but the City’s response raised concerns about the Adams Administration’s progress in implementing hurricane preparedness plans put in place after Ida. Shortly thereafter, my office launched an investigation [[link removed]] to assess the City’s storm readiness and response, making several recommendations [[link removed]] for improvement when we released our findings [[link removed]] last spring.
New analysis from my office [[link removed]] of key storm preparedness indicators shows that the Adams Administration has made inadequate progress. As of August 2024, the City is lagging on increasing enrollment in emergency notifications and replacing aging catch basins. Plus, 10 years after Hurricane Sandy, a significant portion of federal recovery funds have yet to be spent.
To weather the storms to come, we need stronger emergency weather management from City Hall. That is how public trust can be restored, systems improved, harm reduced, and lives spared.
My office will continue monitoring key preparedness indicators [[link removed]] through November 2024 to assess the City’s ongoing readiness for severe storms. Our goal is to provide transparency to help ensure that New Yorkers are kept safe in the face of climate threats and disasters.
Thank you,
Brad
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Office of the New York City Comptroller
Our mailing address is:
Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander
1 Centre Street
New York, NY 10007
United States
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