President Joe Biden walked through an alley in East Elmhurst, Queens, just two days ago, promising to get help for the residents who live there. But on Thursday, a brief period of rain left the same alley flooded yet again, putting neighbors and their properties once again at risk.
The alleys between 88th, 87th and 86th streets near Astoria Boulevard filled with standing water and backed-up sewage, causing problems for people who live here.
"What can happen next? Today, all the neighbors were scared in the chat, 'Oh my god, the water is accumulating in the back, now what?,'" said Junior Moreno, who lives in the area.
Neighbors said that after a brief period of rain Thursday morning (nothing intense by any means), the drain system did not hold up, sending water spewing back into the streets just more than a week after Ida destroyed property and sent hundreds of people into a state of emergency.
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"We get a lot of sewer back-up which is the main issue that we have in this neighborhood. The water is coming back from the toilets, from the showers," Moreno said.
President Biden walked these same alleys on Tuesday, flanked by Gov. Kathy Hochul, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, state senators and other elected officials.
Ida Devastates Tri-State
"The fact that (Biden) walked the alley back there, should put pressure on the present city administration," said resident Ramond Santiago. "It’s constant. You see even today, you went back there, you saw water."
Neighbors are frustrated at the lack of support coming their way, and are thinking of revamping the whole drain system at their own expense, rather than wait for the city to come to their rescue.
Moreno has lived in the community for the past 25 years, and says the time to act is now.
"We all got together as neighbors, we cleaned up the back-alley way because the city claims it is private property, so they can’t do nothing for us," he said.
Photos: Ida Brings Historic Flooding, Tornadoes, Damage to Northeast
Many people on Thursday were still throwing out their damaged property and belongings lost in last week’s flooding.
Many residents are pleading for expedited assistance that can help them and their neighbors get back on their feet, and are mostly worried about the continuing situation in the flooded alley behind the homes.
"The reality is that is a problem that affects the community and the city should be doing something," said Santiago.
