LONG BRANCH, N.J. – A state of emergency has been declared in Long Branch as flooding takes its toll on streets and houses.
The declaration came shortly before Gov. Phil Murphy declared a State of Emergency for the entire Garden State as rainfall continued to accelerate.
Officials with Long Branch’s Office of Emergency Management spent much of Friday scrambling, responding to calls for water rescues and flooded homes. A vehicle could be seen abandoned in floodwaters on Long Branch Avenue just off of Ocean Boulevard. Resident Eric Vega works on that street and says his job got flooded out.
“The whole factory’s flooded,” said Vega. “We were pushing out water earlier today.”
Vega knows the type of weather September and October can bring.
“If it’s snowing, it’s good for me because I can make money shoveling snow,” said Vega. “But when it’s wet like this, it’s crazy.”
Meanwhile, down the Garden State Parkway in Ortley Beach, the weather’s wrath is hitting in other ways. Toms River Mayor Mo Hill says the recent remnants of the tropical storm eroded parts of the beach, and he fears this rain will only make it worse.
“Mother nature’s undefeated,” said Hill. “She’s a state champ when it comes to championships. We’re not going to beat her, the best we can do is play to a tie.
“We still have a month of hurricane season,” Hill continued. “11 years ago, Sandy hit at the end of October, so we still are going to have these storms coming out of the Carribbean.”
