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Hurricane Ida - Mitigation and Preparedness for Flash-Flooding in New York City
Lisa Feit1, Donald Doukas1, Mark Silverberg1
1Departments of Emergency Medicine, Kings County Hospital and SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
Objectives:
Hurricane Ida delivered record rainfall to the northeast, resulting in 11 deaths in New York City. We review these deaths, identify risk factors, and discuss solutions to prevent recurrence.
Methods:
Deaths were confirmed by multiple sources. Locations of the deceased were obtained from obituaries and plotted on the NYC.gov flood-hazard map. Risk factor information of the decedents was collected when available. Current emergency response plans and mitigation efforts were identified on the NYC.gov officially sanctioned website.
Results:
All descendants resided in basement apartments. None of the deaths occurred in a location previously designated a "flood risk zone." While a flash flood emergency was issued during Hurricane Ida, guidance was not provided during the emergency. Flooding was compounded by the city's aging infrastructure and lack of green space.
Conclusions:
Aging infrastructure, lack of pre-notification, illegal basement apartments, and lack of a planned response all appear to have played a role in these 11 deaths.
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