Queens residents face aftermath of Hurricane Ida
BY DEAN MOSES
The stretch of 88th Street
leading between Astoria
Boulevard and 30th Avenue
showcased the full extent of
life following the worst flood
many New Yorkers have ever
experienced.
Late into the evening on
Thursday, Sept. 2, emotionally
and physically exhausted
Queens residents continued
to toil away, tossing thousands
of dollars’ worth of
furniture to the curb. Mounting
water-soaked mattresses,
broken-down closets and even
refrigerators outside of every
property, the block became
a graveyard to the life many
had known for years.
Milton Rozario has lived on
88th Street for two years now
in happiness with his family,
until Hurricane Ida hit.
“What can you say?” Rozario
said, the sorrow etched
on his face, adding, “We have
never experienced anything
like this. My sister called me
while I was at work but when
I got here, there was not much
I could do. I was really worried
about my two kids but
thank God they are OK.”
Rozario invited amNewYork
Metro into his home to
see the devastation firsthand.
Family members stood with
their heads bowed as Rozario
pointed to streaks of mud left
over the floors and walls by
the torrent. With their children’s
beds unusable, the
family said they must find
somewhere else to sleep.
“What can we do?” Rozario
asked, dejectedly.
That question rings true
for many here. Astrid Hernandez
piled her belongings
that have essentially become
nothing more than soggy
trash. She was at home when
the deluge burst through her
doors at 10:30pm, stating that
she had no notice or flash
flood alerts until it was already
too late.
“We didn’t have a warning.
We got the alert of flash flood
right when it was happening.
We just couldn’t do anything;
it was already happening,”
Hernandez said, hauling furniture
with gloved hands.
“The water was up to my
hips. I was hoping it wouldn’t
reach the breakers and cause
a fire. It ruined everything.
We have to throw everything
out. Hopefully we can get
help,” Hernandez said, explaining
that the kitchen, living
room and basement were
gutted.
The curbs outside of many homes have become a graveyard of belongings. Photos by Dean Moses
Milton Rozario shows the damage caused by flooding from
Hurricane Ida.
Ulices Lopez was forced
to leave his basement apartment
behind and return to
his parents’ home while his
landlord surveys the damages
in conjunction with his
insurance. Looking down at
his ruined belongings, he recounted
the terror he faced
during the night.
“I was sleeping, and then I
woke up to water rising from
the shower and toilet. I called
my landlord and few minutes
later he comes running down
because water was coming in
from both sides of the house
— the backyard and the front
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.36 COM | SEPT. 10 - SEPT. 16, 2021
yard. I had very little time
to get the belongings that I
could, just the most important
things,” Lopez said.
Lopez counts himself lucky
to be alive, and that while his
bed and other furniture now
sit on the curb in shambles, he
said at least he has the option
to stay in his parents’ home
while he recovers.
“Water was rising fast;
it was up to my waist. I had
no choice but to bring what
I could up to my landlord’s
apartment and leave the
rest,” Lopez said, pointing at
all of his items.
For many people, there was not much left to salvage after the
devastation caused by the flooding.
Ulices Lopez cleans his home.