FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
At least 10 Queens residents dead as a result of Ida fl ooding
BY ZACHARY GEWELB
zgewelb@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th ree people were found dead in the
basement of a Flushing apartment on
Th ursday, Sept. 2, bringing the total of
residents who died during the fl ooding
to at least 10 throughout the borough,
according to authorities.
Fire department sources say that units
responded to a report of persons underwater
New York City opens service centers in each borough
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@schnepsmedia.com
@robbpoz
Th e city opened service centers in each
borough on Saturday morning, Sept. 4,
for individuals seeking fi nancial and other
assistance in the cleanup and recovery
eff orts from the Sept. 1 fl ash fl ooding
related to Hurricane Ida’s rainy remnants.
Each center will be open from 8 a.m.
to 8 p.m. daily to provide New Yorkers in
need with assistance with in-person support
and information. Workers from city
agencies, nonprofi t groups and community
based organizations will be on hand to
help you apply for public benefi ts, health
insurance, housing, food assistance, mental
health counseling and more.
Th e centers are being operated by
the NYC Departments of Emergency
Management and Social Services.
Assistance is available to every New Yorker
impacted by the devastating fl oods of Sept.
1, regardless of immigration status.
“Th e fl ash fl ooding we experienced
in New York City was devastating for
many families,” said NYC Emergency
Management Commissioner John
Scrivani. “To help New Yorkers navigate
the various services and resources available
to them, we have established a service
center in each borough with assistance
from our agency and nonprofi t partners.
I encourage those aff ected to visit their
local service center, call 311, or access city
services online by visitingNYC.gov/ida.”
Th e centers are located as follows:
• Bronx: P.S./M.S. 194, 2365 Waterbury
Ave., Parkchester
• Brooklyn: P.S. 15, 71 Sullivan St., Red
Hook
• Manhattan: I.S. 88, 215 West 114th St.,
Harlem
• Queens: M.S. 125, 46-02 47th Ave.,
Woodside
• Staten Island: I.S. 51, 80 Willowbrook
Road, Westerleigh
Th e fl ooding killed at least 13 people
in New York City, the vast majority of
whom lived in basement apartments in
Brooklyn and Queens that became rapidly
submerged. Many of these apartment are
believed to be illegally converted and not
properly regulated.
With that in mind, state Attorney
General Letitia James urged New York
City’s government on Sept. 3 to off er
emergency housing vouchers to New
Yorkers living in unregulated basement
apartments.
“Extreme rainfall and other severe
weather events are now the rule, not
the exception, in New York. In the face
of that risk, it is our duty to move these
New Yorkers out of harm’s way by off ering
them safer, regulated housing,” James
said in a statement. “To prevent these
problems in the future, we must also
ensure that basement units are safe for
human occupancy and regularly inspected.
Overcoming the twin threats of climate
change and a housing crisis will not
be simple, but we must ensure measures
are in place to protect our neighbors and
prevent a future catastrophe.”
in the basement at 153-10 Peck
Ave. around noon on Th ursday. Offi cers
from the 109th Precinct also responded
and, upon arriving at the scene, found
three people — two females and one male
— dead.
Police could not confi rm the identity of
the victims, but an FDNY spokesperson
said the fatalities were storm-related.
Th e fatalities add to the total number
of deaths in Queens in the aft ermath of
Hurricane Ida.
A mother, father and son were found
dead in the basement of their Woodside
home on 64th Street around 10 p.m.
Wednesday night, police said.
Offi cers from the 108th Precinct
responded to a call regarding a fl ooding
condition and, upon arriving at the
scene, found 2-year-old Lobsang Lama,
his 50-year-old father, Ang Lama, and
48-year-old mother, Mingma Sherpa, who
were found unconscious in the basement
of the residence.
Th ey were pronounced dead at the scene.
Th e city’s medical examiner will investigate
the causes of death and the investigation
is ongoing.
Th en, just before 11 a.m., offi cers from
the 112th Precinct responded to a call
regarding a fl ooding condition in Forest
Hills near Grand Central Parkway near
Horace Harding Expressway.
Upon arriving at the scene, offi cers
found 48-year-old Darlene Hsu unconscious
in the basement of a residence.
EMS arrived at the scene and transported
her to Long Island Jewish Forest Hills
hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Th e city’s medical examiner will
investigate the cause of death and the
investigation is ongoing.
Around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday night,
offi cers from the 103rd Precinct responded
to a call regarding a fl ooding condition
at 183rd Street in Jamaica. Upon their
arrival, offi cers found a 43-year-old mother
and her 22-year-old son — later identifi
ed as Phamatee Ramskriet and Khrishah
Ramskrie, respectively — unconscious in
their basement.
EMS arrived and transported Phamatee
Ramskriet to NYC Health + Hospitals/
Queens, where she was pronounced dead.
Khrishah Ramskrie was pronounced dead
at the scene, police said.
Th e city’s medical examiner will investigate
the causes of death and the investigation
is ongoing.
Just before midnight, offi cers from the
110th Precinct responded to a call
regarding a fl ooding condition
at a residence on 84th Street
in Elmhurst. Upon their
arrival, offi cers found
86-year-old Yue Lian
Chen unconscious in
the residence.
EMS responded
and pronounced
Chen dead at
the scene.
Th e city’s medical examiner will
investigate the causes of death and the
investigation is ongoing.
Photo by Lloyd
Mitchell
An emotional
embrace on
183rd Street in
Jamaica, where
a 43-year-old
mother and her
22-year-old son
were found
dead.
Kevin P. Coughlin / Offi ce of the Governor
Governor Kathy Hochul, joined by Senator Jessica Ramos and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, tours several homes in the East Elmhurst section
of Queens that fl ooded from torrential rains brought on by Hurricane Ida.
Hurricane Ida
/ida
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