Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) claimed Wednesday evening’s deadly flooding in New York City, caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, highlight how the “climate crisis is an inequality crisis.”
“How the climate crisis is an inequality crisis: Many of these deaths occurred in basement dwellings, many of which are illegal and growing in # due to the unaffordable housing crisis, but do not meet safety standards required to keep people safe in incidents like flash floods,” Ocasio-Cortez, leader of the far-left “Squad,” wrote on Twitter Thursday.
“As a result, among the people MOST at risk during flash floods here are those living in off-the-books basement dwellings that don’t meet the safety codes necessary to save lives. These are working class, immigrant, and low-income people & families,” she added.
At least 20 people died in the northeast’s historic flooding, including nine people who lost their lives in New York City, according to officials. The age of the victims are between 2 and 86.
Earlier Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) echoed Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks, saying during a press conference: “Woe is us if we don’t recognize these changes are due to climate change. Woe is us if we don’t do something about it quickly.”
“When you get two record rainfalls in a week, it’s not just coincidence,” he stated. “Global warming is upon us and it’s going to get worse and worse and worse unless we do something about it, and that’s why it’s so important to pass… the infrastructure bill and the budget reconciliation bill.”
Schumer highlighted global warming provisions included in the so-called “infrastructure” legislation that the House has yet to vote on. The senator claimed the measures could help “stop the global warming or at least reduce its awful effects on this country.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and de Blasio all declared states of emergency as the National Weather Service issued a smattering of flash flood warnings for New York and southern New England.
“We’re enduring a historic weather event tonight with record-breaking rain across the city, brutal flooding, and dangerous conditions on our roads,” de Blasio said via Twitter. “Please stay off the streets tonight and let our first responders and emergency services get their work done.”
Don’t drive and stay off subway trains, he urged, as videos and images published online show subways and streets flooded.
The UPI contributed to this report.