Source: AUN News
“I moved to Queens in 1998 after emigrating from Guyana. My husband, my daughter, and I share a home. Despite the size of our family, we have several relatives in New York and New Jersey.
There are several different ethnic groups in this neighborhood, including Guyanese, Trinidadians, Bengalis, Indians, Chinese, and Filipinos. We are a lively group of diligent workers. We undertake a variety of things to give back to the community, like planting gardens and sending our children to college.
Time to leave, please
I was working from home on September 1 when Ida made landfall. A storm was forming, so I turned on the television to see the alarms. I kept my eyes on the radar and looked at the map to follow the storm. It appeared as though it would pass through the northeast. I immediately recognized that it would impact us when I noticed how much red there was.
I had some hope that the effects wouldn’t be too severe because our block’s storm drains had received some upgrades the year before. But as the afternoon drew near, I noticed how long they were calling for rain. I started to tell the neighbors to be very cautious that evening since I was so concerned.
I typically leave the house if there are any indications of flooding because I have panic attacks in such circumstances. So I gathered my belongings and told them to go. My husband just sent me off at my in-laws, who live on higher ground just down the road, because my husband and daughter first wanted to stay.
Around 10:00 pm, after calling both of them again, I told them they had to leave the house. The sewer hole in front of my house suddenly popped shortly after I called them. They escaped with scarcely a scratch before driving to my sister-in-house. law’s
I lack the words to express the suffering that this neighborhood has endured since. I run into that youngster every day. Both the mother and he were so youthful and alive.
In a matter of seconds, they perished. Even scuba divers attempted to rescue them, but without success.
It appears that the location is too low for housing. The New York City Climate Resiliency Agency engineers collaborated with us and suggested raising the houses for a trial run. There are numerous choices, but one of them is not to remain in the current situation.
Everybody on our street experiences perpetual fear. I want to get away when the radar shows rain. I’ve packed my luggage so I can go.
We should draw lessons from Ida and make sure it doesn’t happen again. There will be climate change. We must prepare ourselves for the constant changes that lie ahead.
What will this neighborhood look like in the future? What will occur? Will I stay here and fret about the incoming residents? For everyone in America and every town, I want a safer environment.
Analysis by: Advocacy Unified Network
