Federal aid needed urgently to recover from 1,000-year flood event
HARTFORD– On Tuesday, August 20, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and the Connecticut Congressional delegation wrote to President Joe Biden urging an expeditious emergency declaration after the sudden and severe flooding that destroyed roads, homes, and other critical infrastructure, and caused at least two deaths in western and southwestern Connecticut on Sunday.
“While the state of Connecticut and affected municipalities conducted emergency responses and initial recovery efforts, federal support is absolutely critical to full recovery,” the delegation wrote. “We therefore urge you to swiftly declare a state of emergency for the State of Connecticut, as requested on August 20, 2024, by Governor Lamont, to enable vital supplementary federal assistance.”
On August 18, parts of Connecticut received up to 16 inches of rain in just a few hours. The floodwaters caused significant damage to critical infrastructure like roads, rail lines, and bridges, devastated local businesses and homes, trapped residents in their homes and forced others to evacuate, and tragically killed two people.
Governor Ned Lamont requested a federal emergency declaration under Section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act on August 20, 2024, to assist with debris removal and emergency protective measures in New Haven, Fairfield, and Litchfield Counties.
A federal disaster declaration is necessary in order to provide direct federal assistance to the affected communities. The delegation’s letter urges swift action from the federal government so that Connecticut can continue recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Full text of the letter to President Biden can be found here.