Tempers flare as thousands left stranded in Hoboken, N.J.

Members of the National Guard and Hoboken Police ride a truck through flood waters used to pluck people from high water in Hoboken, N.J., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. Parts of the city are still covered in standing water in the wake of superstorm Sandy, trapping some residents in their homes. / AP Photo/Craig Ruttle

HOBOKEN, N.J. Tempers are flaring in Hoboken, N.J., as residents complain officials in the flooded city on the Hudson River have been slow to get out food and water to the stranded.

At the National Guard staging area in front of City Hall, a man screamed at emergency officials. He says he blew up an air mattress to float over to City Hall to see why no supplies were getting out. He says he lives just blocks away and was expecting the city to at least get out food and water.

New Jersey National Guard trucks were evacuating the city of Hoboken Wednesday and delivering ready-to-eat meals to thousands who have been stranded in their homes by floodwaters from Superstorm Sandy.

About half the city remains flooded two days after the storm made landfall. Live wires dangled in floodwaters that Mayor Dawn Zimmer said were rapidly mixing with sewage.

With streets resembling lakes, thousands are still holed up in their brownstones, condos, and other housing in the mile-square city across the Hudson River from Manhattan.

An 80-year-old resident of a senior high-rise in downtown Hoboken tells The Associated Press he walked down 15 flights to get out of his building, which is surrounded by floodwaters. Frank Bongiorno says he went without food.

Vihaan Gadodia, 2, is handed from a National Guard truck after he and his family left a flooded building in Hoboken, N.J., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in the wake of superstorm Sandy.

/ AP Photo/Craig Ruttle

On Sunday Zimmer ordered an evacuation of basement and street-level units. Payloaders have been used to get people out for medical emergencies, but the mayor's spokesman, Juan Melli, says the streets are so narrow they can get stuck, CBS Station WCBS reports.

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The city is asking people with generators and boats to bring them to city hall, which is on dry ground and powered by a backup generator.

"We will make it through this together," said Zimmer. "All our emergency personnel and volunteers have been working so hard under the most extreme circumstances to keep our community safe."

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[juliadrn]

I follow storms and potentional natural disasters closely as my husband is on the SC Task Force One Urban Search and Rescue Team or USAR. Chris Christy on Saturday ordered a mandatory evacuation of parts of southern NJ ahead of the storms. He strongly suggested that other areas evacuate as well. The Red Cross and other disaster organizations told people who were staying to get non perishable food items and bottled water. This all occured ahead of the storm. I myself experienced over a week without water and electricity following Wilma in South Florida. Guess what I did before the storm hit? I made sure I had three weeks worth of bottled water and enough non perishible food to last the same amount of time. I did not evacuate because I had to report to the hospital I was working at because I was essential, emergency personell. Now the reason that people are told to either evacuate or be prepared is that we never know how bad things will be and don't know whether emergency personell are going to be able to get in to help them. I'm don't feel bad that this man is angry. He has no right to be. He had plenty of opportunity before the storm to prepare or evacuate. He chose to do neither now he wants bailed out.

[Alimart]

It's a tough situation. On one hand, there was a lot of coverage on TV, the newspapers, the radio, as well as other forms of communication (in some communities police and fire went house to house) before the storm letting people know they should evacuate. I find it hard to believe that people did not know the storm was coming. But even with that information, some people choose to stay. Either because they want to stay in an effort to protect their property, or they are afraid to leave, or do not want to leave their pets behind (if they are not accepted at a shelter), or they don't have access to transportation to leave, or just because they think it won't be that bad. Whatever their reason to stay, they should be fully aware ahead of time that when the infrastructure is damaged - no power, no water, no phones, not internet or cell phone service, streets blocked with debris, bridges washed out, gas lines broken - that the emergency management teams are going to be busy on many fronts and they need to be patient. For those that were trapped (unable for whatever reason to evacuate) I hope they are soon rescued. For those that chose to stay and now realize they are in over their heads, I hope they too are soon rescued. For those that chose to stay and want to get angry and blame others for the situation in which they have placed themselves, I hope their needs are soon met but that they also learn patience as well as learn a little something from the experience and appreciate the help once it does arrive.

[Johnckimbrough]

I think that we all have a lot of, some of or a degree of compassion for the suffering of all of the people who endured and lost things in this storm......At the same time, it might be reasonable for us all to realize that we have got used to things being a certain way in our lives and it is hard for us to endure, deal with or prepare for any kind of hardship be it expected or unexpected......Most of the people that I knew and saw were preparing for this storm through buying supplies, etc. and listening to those who were in charge. I think we all get frustrated when things do not go our way, but the suffering and inconvenience that some of us are experiencing will pass sooner then we think......and let us give thanks for the many blessings that we have and the sincere effort of many to help others........

[BillPete2012]

Wow two whole days, medical emergencys are one thing but what happened to emergency prepardness. I can't believe people are mad at govt for not bringing food after two days, order a pizza. I hope people are better prepared for the next storm.

[pedalit]

ya order a pizza-delivered in 30 minutes or less by boat! *rolls eyes*

[BokenGrl23]

this is a rude and ridiculous comment. You clearly have NO idea what the conditions in Hoboken are like. If there is no power, how is the pizza place going to make a pizza? If the streets are flooded, how is someone going to get it delivered? I hope your area wasn't hit as hard as we were. maybe next time before you make any comments you will have compassion for others.