New York City returns to normal post-Irene
Commuters wait for the subway. (Aug. 29, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
New York City headed back to normal Monday as many workers, aided by reopened subways and buses, returned to work, while officials gave kudos to city emergency services crews for rescues during Tropical Storm Irene.
However, officials also reported one death in the Bronx attributed to the storm: A 68-year-old man was found floating in the water off a marina on City Island about 4:40 p.m. Sunday. An autopsy revealed Jose Sierra drowned, said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner.
Sierra was at the Sunset Marina before his death. News reports said he was checking on a 16-passenger fishing boat his wife bought him a week ago.
With the region bathed in bright sunshine Monday, the city got a clearer view of storm damage. Irene leveled more than 2,000 trees, mostly in Queens. The tree casualties were the largest since September 2010, when two tornadoes and a wind microburst destroyed an estimated 3,000 trees in Brooklyn and Queens.
Con Edison reported that most of its approximately 100,000 city customers who had lost power are expected to be back up Tuesday. Late Monday some 14,995 customers in Queens were still without power, said Con Ed.
"We have a big cleanup job ahead of us, there's no question about that," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a news conference on Staten Island, which experienced significant flooding.
Bloomberg thanked FDNY rescuers from Engine Company 166 and Ladder Company 66, who plucked more than 60 adults, three children and assorted pets from a flooded area in the Bulls Head section in central Staten Island. Firefighters used inflated rafts powered by outboard motors.
"The civilians, they helped, even the dogs, cats and rabbits, they helped," said FDNY Lt. Gilbert Montalvo, 42.
In Manhattan, the New York Stock Exchange reported that 80 percent of its floor staff, including brokers and operations people, had reported for work Monday, said spokesman Rich Admamonis.
"All is well here," he said.
A City Hall spokeswoman said most city employees were at work.
David Bookstaver, a spokesman for the state court system, said all New York City and Long Island courts were open.
