NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — President Joe Biden said FEMA and other emergency crews have been readied and staged to assist as Tropical Storm Henri batters the tri-state region with record rainfall.
Biden said he had spoken with the leaders of the states projected to be impacted by Henri with several states facing serious threats of flooding and power outages. Flood Watches and Flash Flood Advisories were issued through Sunday for much of the region.
"We are taking it seriously...because the size and the storm’s surge, and the rainfall it’s producing," said Biden.
He added that FEMA and other emergency service crews have been staged in the region to quickly move in once the rain clears with food, water, generators and other life-saving equipment.
“We don’t know the full extent of the storm’s impact today. But we’re acting to prepare for and prevent damage as much as possible,” Biden said during a news conference Sunday afternoon.
Biden, who is also grappling with an Afghan refugee crisis, acknowledged the storm’s arrival during a surge in coronavirus cases and took the opportunity to urge Americans to get vaccinated.
“Don’t get caught by the next storm,” he added. “Get vaccinated. Get vaccinated now. Protect yourself and your family.”
Henri made landfall in Rhode Island around 12:15 p.m. Sunday, packing heavy winds and drenching rains as it began lashing the northeastern U.S. coastline.
Landfall came after Henri lost strength as it went above cooler waters around 7:30 a.m. Maximum winds were under 75 miles per hour, just shy of hurricane status.
Hurricane and storm surge warnings have been canceled, and tropical storm warnings are now in effect from Montauk up into southern New England. A Flood Watch is in effect for New York City through Monday, Aug. 23, at 8 a.m
Henri is expected to weaken further and downgrade to a tropical depression Sunday night as it moves west-northwestward across central Connecticut, according to the National Weather Service.
Tens of thousands were left without power in the region as of Sunday afternoon. The National Weather Service's Boston office has reported about 75,000 customers without power in Rhode Island, about 20,000 customers out in Connecticut and nearly 6,900 customers out in Massachusetts.
The storm will slow down and bands of wind and rain will circulate around through Sunday night and into Monday morning.
Flash flooding was possible in inland areas already saturated by recent rain.
Heavy rain overwhelmed storm drains and drivers plowed through foot-deep water in a few spots in New York City, and Newark and Hoboken, New Jersey as the first thunderstorms drenched parts of the Tri-State area late Saturday.
The severe weather also canceled the "We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert" in Central Park.
The Associated Press contributed to this report