Widespread flooding from Irene, Cuomo says state will need help from feds, Catskills and Vermont devastated, farms swamped
The Albany riverfront along I-787 Monday evening.
Officials and residents started to survey the damage yesterday caused by flooding from Irene -- common comment from people: we've never seen the water this high -- in the Stockade, in Waterford, in Troy, around Lake George, in Greene County. Well, except for one woman who's lived in Green Island for 57 years and says she's seen higher, "But "I've never seen so much junk in the river before. [Daily Gazette] [Troy Record] [Troy Record] [Post-Star] [YNN] [Troy Record]
Andrew Cuomo took a helicopter tour of areas to the west and south of Albany -- and brought along an official from FEMA: "I wanted to have FEMA see this firsthand, because we're going to need federal assistance." Areas all along the Hudson River valley experienced once-in-a-century to once-in-25-year rainfalls. [State of Politics] [TU] [NYT]
Schenectady County officials were advising Niskayuna residents near Lock 7 to evacuate because of concerns the lock could fail. Officials say they're monitoring -- and trying to repair -- erosion around the lock, but the dam there appears to have no structural problems. [CBS6] [Daily Gazette]
A couple was rescued after clinging to a tree in the Normanskill for 2.5 hours Monday after official say they ignored a cordon on Krumkill Road and tried to drive their car through the swollen creek. [TU]
The Twin Bridges were closed for a while Monday after a barge carrying a 30-foot crane got loose on the Mohawk and officials were worried it would slam into the bridges. The barge was secured before that happened. [WTEN] [WNYT]
The Green Island Bridge is still closed, and will be until possibly sometime Tuesday. [@TroyMayor]
The Thruway from Duanesburg to Herkimer is closed because of flooding. [TU]
Farther afield: Many villages in the Catskills have been devastated -- the Watershed Post continues to have comprehensive coverage of the situation there. One town just north of the Catskills recorded more than 13 inches of rain. And there is "widespread devastation" in Vermont -- Bennington is running out of drinking water after a bridge collapse crushed the main water line. [NYT] [Watershed Post] [Daily Gazette] [NYT] [WNYT]
Fears about dam failing on the Battenkill in Washington County prompted a small-scale evacuation. [Post-Star]
Some of the homes near the mudslide in Troy will need to be demolished, and officials are concerned about further movement of the hillside. [CBS6]
The restaurants along River Street in Troy -- the Dinosaur, Ryan's Wake, Brown's -- say they took on water, but hope to re-open soon. [Troy Record]
Many farms in the region have been swamped by the rain, ruining crops. The Denison Farm, which runs a popular CSA, posted video flooded fields Monday. [TU] [Denison Facebook]
The Saratoga Race Course will be adding an extra race every day of its remaining schedule to make up for lost racing on Sunday and Monday. [Saratogian]
photo: Peter Caracappa
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I've got to hand it to Mayor Tutunjian- his Twitter account was a valuable source of information for road closures and updates.
... said Casey on Aug 30, 2011 at 10:56 AM | link
The Watershed Post is also doing an incredible job with its real-time updates on the situation in the Catskills.
... said Ellen on Aug 30, 2011 at 1:03 PM | link
I can't believe this post doesn't have the word 'Schoharie' in it. The villages of Middleburgh and Schoharie with their Main St. 'downtown' collection of businesses upon which a large portion of the whole of Schoharie County depends, has been completely decimated by flood waters from the Schoharie Creek. Many homes are destroyed - and there may be lingering effects from a major oil spill in Schoharie. AoA, I know you like to focus on the cap region, but you need to get some coverage out to these towns just 40 min to the west.
... said aaron on Aug 30, 2011 at 10:02 PM | link