[ancexiaepidge]

Storm damage: 'Tens and tens and tens of millions'

Posted by The Star-Ledger April 18, 2007 2:54PM
Categories: Nor'easter 2007
MITSU YASUKAWA/THE STAR-LEDGER

Acting Gov. Richard Codey today urged President Bush to declare New Jersey a major disaster area in the wake of a storm that resulted in more than 5,000 evacuations and "tens and tens and tens of millions" of dollars in damage.

After a helicopter tour, Codey said the worst damage occurred around swollen rivers in Passaic, Bergen, Somerset and Burlington counties. But the floodwaters are receding, and he reported just seven state highways - down from a peak of 70 - still fully or partially closed due to the flooding. All were along the Passaic River, he said.

"New Jersey clearly has received the brunt of the storm. We were in the middle of the bull's eye," Codey said at a statehouse press conference. "New Jerseyans face a huge cost in terms of damage and destruction to their homes and to their businesses as well."

Codey said he was trying to reach Michael Chertoff, a New Jersey native and the nation's homeland security chief, to provide a personal briefing on the storm. Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been in the state since the weekend monitoring conditions, he said.
Codey said state officials still are gathering damage estimates from public agencies and private individuals that they can present to the federal government for disaster relief.

The acting governor said the deluge caused 1,400 people to seek refuge just in Somerset and Bergen counties alone. Nearly three dozen shelters still were in operation today.

Maj. Gen. Glenn Rieth, adjutant general of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, said 140 members of the New Jersey National Guard assisted in evacuations and helped prevent looting in flood ravaged areas.

Codey also said the number of people without power has dropped from a peak of 40,000 to 700, and all mass transit lines were back on normal schedules.

Lisa Jackson, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, reported two dam failures - one near the Atsion Lake along Route 206 in Burlington County, the second along Route 56 in Pittsgrove Township in Salem County. In both cases, other downstream dams limited the flood damage, she said.

Along with other storm damage, the state also suffered significant beach erosion in coastal counties that will add to its repair bills, officials said.

"We're doing everything we can to open up those roadways that do remain closed as of now. But the fact is even after the water recedes, the lights are turned back, and the roads are clear, the biggest challenges are ahead of us," Codey said.

"We have a massive cleanup ahead of us. We have security issues to deal with. And we have homes and businesses to rebuild," he said. "The bottom line is this- a lot of families and people are facing a tough situation. But our resolve is firm. And the people of this state have the full strength of this government behind them."

Contributed by Joe Donohue