State of Emergency Declared in Westchester From Heavy Rain, Flooding
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer declared a state of emergency early Friday afternoon after persistent moderate to heavy rain swamped the region overnight and through this morning.
Officials advised residents to stay off the roads, if possible, and to expect delays on public transportation. Portions of the Bronx River, Saw Mill River and Hutchinson parkways have been closed.
“I am taking this step to ensure the security, well-being and health of our citizens during this challenging time,” Latimer said. “The severe storm has created hazardous conditions, and we are committed to providing all necessary assistance to address the threats to public health and safety.”
The county Department of Emergency Services has implemented a partial activation of the Emergency Operations Center in Hawthorne to monitor the storm and provide assistance and support to other agencies and municipalities.
The latest major rain event has appeared to impact areas in the southern portion of the county the most, although there are locations throughout Westchester that have experienced flooding.
As of shortly after 1 p.m., the Bronx River Parkway has been closed between the split with the Sprain Brook Parkway in Yonkers and Main Street in White Plains.
There are also partial closures on the Hutchinson River Parkway between the Bronx line and North Avenue in New Rochelle. There has been significant flooding at Wolfs Lane in Pelham and East Lincoln Avenue in Mount Vernon.
The Saw Mill River Parkway has been closed from the Cross County Parkway to the New York City line. The Cross County ramps to and from the Hutchinson River Parkway are also closed.
Furthermore, Metro-North service has been suspended between Manhattan and the Bronx.
There have been reports of localized flooding. In New Castle, Route 117 was closed early Friday afternoon between Orchard Ridge Road and North Way because of flooding.
The Village of Mount Kisco closed the Village Center parking lot and the lot at Leonard Park. Furthermore, the library, senior center and the pool complex and multipurpose rooms at Leonard Park have been closed for the day.
Saturday, which was to be the first day of the nationally acclaimed two-day Armonk Outdoor Art Show, was called off due to wet field conditions at Community Park in Armonk. The show will be open on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This article will be update when more information is available.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
