WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 7
following extensive damage from Hurricane Ida
the storm raged on outside.
“I was upstairs. I knew it was running
outside, but this is something that typically
doesn’t happen in New York,” Iglesias
said. “I don’t think I was prepared enough,
but I’m subscribed to organizations to
know what’s going on with mandates and
guidelines.”
Iglesias had to be on FaceTime with a
plumber who couldn’t get to them due to
the weather, in order to try to fi x the issue.
The water seeped into their large cooler
and the food inside, which they later had
to throw away.
She also “risked her life” trying to
disconnect appliances in the submerged
basement, so as to not cause a fi re.
“It was a really long night,” said Iglesias,
whose basement apartment nearby also
fl ooded. She’d been in the restaurant all
night and day.
The New York City Department of
Buildings sent out an advisory Thursday,
warning building owners that heavy
fl ooding conditions have the potential
to cause structural damage, hazardous
mold and deterioration of building electrical
and gas plumbing systems. These
conditions can pose a serious hazard to
New Yorkers entering fl ood-damaged
buildings.
All New Yorkers are encouraged to call
311 to report any unsafe building conditions
in their neighborhood, and 911 for
emergencies.
For Iglesias, the recent damage is just
another blow in an already difficult
year. In January, she had to close another
restaurant in Long Island City, Corazon
de Mexico, as the landlord refused to renegotiate
a $20,000 lease.
That debt along with recent pandemicrelated
violations from the health department,
coupled with close to no aid from
the federal government’s programs,
leaves Iglesias feeling less and less motivated
to be in the hospitality industry,
she said.
“We’ve been struck down in so many
ways, me and my mom,” Iglesias said.
“Food has increased 200%, and expenses
don’t end. But my mom says to stay
positive.”
In Astoria, Beatrice Ajaero is also
remaining positive, as she assesses the
damage to her two businesses: Nneji, a
restaurant on 34th Avenue, and Ibari, a
shop on 23rd Avenue.
Ajaero said that while Nneji “weathered
the storm,” the same couldn’t be said
of Ibari.
Ibari, located on the ground fl oor of
a 100-year-old building, is a quaint shop
with a basement for storage. Ajaero, who
lives on Roosevelt Island, found the basement
submerged in 7 inches of water on
Thursday morning.
“The property owner said there had
only been three fl oods, two of them this
year,” said Ajaero, clarifying that one of
those fl oods came as a result of Hurricane
Henri nearly two weeks ago. “It was more
severe this time.”
Ajaero said it would have been benefi -
cial for her and other business owners
to have a more clear message about the
The roof of a cleaners business in Ridgewood collapsed during the remnants of Hurricane Ida.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Lenis
kind of damage that a storm like Ida could
bring, in order to prepare.
“August to September is always a critical
time. The last thing you want is some
sort of weather problem,” Ajaero said. “If I
could have wished this one away, I would
have. We didn’t need another hurdle.”
Ajaero, who also said it will take time to
assess all the damage, said her commercial
and residential neighbors continue
to lend each other a helping hand where
possible.
“You might for a second think it’s isolated
— my space, my issue — but then you go
up and see people are also going through
it,” Ajaero said. “People are giving words
of compassion to acknowledge we’re all
aff ected by this. It’s encouraging to see.”
A car parked while rainwater fl oods parking lot in Bay Terrace Shopping
Center. Photo courtesy of Lois Christie
/WWW.QNS.COM
