New York governor predicts 'we're going to have to deal with' flooding with 'great regularity' due to climate change
After major flooding on the East Coast left at least 15 people dead on Wednesday, New York Gov. (D) Kathy Hochul predicted major storms will cause similar problems "with great regularity" going forward.
New York saw historic flooding Wednesday evening as the remnants of Hurricane Ida came to the state, and in a news conference Thursday, Hochul called for taking steps to ensure this won't "happen again," including additional infrastructure investments.
"Because of climate change, unfortunately, this is something we're going to have to deal with with great regularity," she said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Hochul went on to say that such "catastrophic flooding events" are "not unusual anymore" but should instead be "considered the normal course of business," calling on homeowners to be prepared with evacuation plans, as she can't "guarantee it won't happen again tomorrow." The governor called for a report to investigate possible "intelligence failures" leading up to the storm, asking whether it "could have been anticipated" that it would bring "Niagara Falls-level water to the streets of New York."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) also described the storm as the "biggest wake-up call we could possibly get," while urging New Yorkers to assume the worst with every storm going forward because weather projections are "failing us."
"We need to start communicating to people that we should assume things are going to be much worse in literally every situation," he said.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
National Enquirer helped Trump in 2016, ex-boss says
Speed Read David Pecker says the tabloid published fabricated content to hurt Trump's rivals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress starts clock on TikTok ban in foreign aid bill
Speed Read Lawmakers believe that the app poses a national security threat
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pros and cons of universal health care
Pros and Cons A medical system that serves everyone comes with its own costs, and they're not only financial
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rain
Speed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
EPA limits carcinogenic emissions at 218 US plants
Speed Read The new rule aims to reduce cancer-causing air pollution in areas like Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Strong Taiwan earthquake kills 9, injures hundreds
Speed Read At magnitude 7.4, this was Taiwan's biggest earthquake in 25 years
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
EPA sets auto pollution rule that boosts EVs
Speed Read The Biden administration's new rules will push US automakers toward electric vehicles and hybrids
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
More than 150 people dead following earthquake in Nepal
Speed Read The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers continue digging through rubble
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Nearly 1,000 birds dead in one night after striking building in Chicago
Speed Read The birds died after colliding with the McCormick Place convention center next to Lake Michigan
By Justin Klawans Published
-
At least 1 dead at Burning Man as thousands remain stranded from flooding
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Earthquake rattles Southern California as Tropical Storm Hilary hits
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published