At Least 23 Dead, 200,000 Without Power in Tri-State Area Historic Floods

A street is flooded as the Schuylkill River exceeds its bank in the East Falls section of Philadelphia, on Sept. 2, 2021, in the aftermath of downpours and high winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ida that hit the area. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

At least 23 have died as Hurricane Ida ravaged the Tri-State area on Wednesday night, including a toddler from New York City.

“A record set two weeks ago, another record set now,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press meeting.

“This is the biggest wake-up call we could possibly get,” he said, referring to the historical catastrophe.

During a press meeting, the city’s mayor gave thanks to the rescue teams and first responders that helped people get out from flooded subways and cars that needed evacuation, “hundreds of times.”

“We have a lot of work to do right now to help New Yorkers recover,” the mayor added.

Eight of the confirmed deaths happened in Queens and Brooklyn, including a 2-year-old toddler, two ladies in their 40s, and one 86-year-old woman, as well as 22- and 50-year-old men from Queens, and a 66-year-old man from Brooklyn, according to NBC.

The other 15 deaths happened in New Jersey, most of the fatalities were due to flooding.

Over 200,000 people in the tri-state area were left without power.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (C) is joined by Mayor Bill de Blasio (R) during a news conference near a home where people were killed when their basement apartment was flooded in the Jamaica neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York, on Sept. 2, 2021. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

“New York remains under a State of Emergency for Downstate counties affected by the remnants of Ida, and the State is committed to ensuring all the necessary resources to recover from the historic and devastating flooding experienced overnight are immediately accessible and available for those severely impacted,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

“I have directed all State agencies engaged in emergency response efforts to work together with our Federal and local partners to take swift and appropriate action to help these communities recover.”

Gas pumps are submerged in water as the Schuylkill River exceeds its bank in the East Falls section of Philadelphia, on Sept. 2, 2021 in the aftermath of downpours and high winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ida that hit the area. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Homes damaged from the remnants of Hurricane Ida on Josephine Lane in Mullica Hill, N.J., on Sept. 2, 2021. Monica Herndon/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP