UPDATED March got it backwards this year, exiting with a fury and a roar —and in its wake, a still unknown amount of damage to local homes, businesses and infrastructure such as roadways and storm drain systems.
Local officials spent the day yesterday taking stock of the storm’s damages as the floodwaters receded. Epic rain and flooding caused about 20 emergency evacuations, numerous road closures and widespread property damage. A section of Roanoke Avenue just north of Middle Road caved in. The entire area of the recently built traffic circle at Middle Road, Osborn and Horton avenues was still under water, with the new drainage system constructed as part of the project completely overwhelmed. Homes along Horton Avenue remained inundated. (See slideshow below.)
Riverhead hasn’t seen rain and flooding like in more than 30 years, maybe more, according to Highway Superintendent and Fire Chief Gio Woodson, whose highway crews and volunteer firefighters worked round the clock to keep roads open, rescue stranded residents and pump out homes.
The town saw more than eight inches of rain during the course of the storm, which also packed wind gusts of up to 40 MPH, according to a preliminary report by the National Weather Service in Upton. This was the wettest March on record, the weather service said, with more than 10 inches of rain falling during a month that began with sunny skies and above-average temperatures. The ground was already saturated from a mid-month storm that dumped more than three inches of rain and caused widespread beach erosion.
On the eve of this week’s storm, Governor Paterson asked the president to declare a “major disaster area” in six New York counties, including Suffolk, as a result of the March 13-15 nor’easter. Our area was declared a disaster area in December because of damages caused by the September 2009 storm. FEMA officials were in town last week assessing damages.
Rep. Tim Bishop said he is working closely with FEMA and other federal, state and local agencies to ensure that a new declaration would expand FEMA’s authority to encompass damages caused by both storms this month. This would promote the most efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars for the response, he said. The congressman said he will work to ensure that a declaration is made soon and that funds begin reaching those affected by the storms as quickly as possible.
All local bays and tributaries are closed to shellfishing through at least April 6, under an order issued yesterday by the state DEC.
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