Gov. Murphy Visits Parts Of New Jersey Devastated By Ida, Says State Really Needs Help From Federal Government
LODI, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Officials say 27 people have died and at least four remain missing in the devastating flooding in New Jersey.
On Sunday, Gov. Phil Murphy continued his tour of the hardest-hit areas in the state, CBS2's Kiran Dhillon reported.
A bridge was left in disrepair after being submerged in water. A playground was left in shambles. Murphy got a close-up look at the aftermath of Ida in Lodi.
"Unbelievable, see it with my own eyes, the devastation," Murphy said.
READ MORE: Gov. Murphy Says New Jersey Facing 'Significant Loss' From Ida
Dozens of Businesses and hundreds of homes were damaged, according to Lodi Mayor Scott Luna.
On his tour, one of several stops he made in the state, the governor met with impacted groups, including members of the Boys and Girls Club of Lodi.
"It's just heartbreaking. It really is," CEO Joseph Licata said.
The group's basement flooded and many of its possessions were destroyed.
READ MORE: Gov. Murphy Tours Ida Aftermath In New Jersey, Promises $10M For Businesses Dealing With Flooding
The club will have to close for a few weeks, leaving many parents and students who rely on its services out of luck.
"Our entire pool filtration system totally wiped out. There's no lights. Ground water seeping in," Licata said.
Still, the clubs leaders said they are lucky.
In a flood-prone area next to the Saddle River, the group previously implemented a variety of flood mitigation measures that it said minimized damages.
The group is now encouraging the governor to invest in dredging the river.
Luna agreed, saying that could be a solution, but added there are still many questions.
"We want to be proactive, instead of reactive. Do we build up? Do we mitigate? Do we cut back? Where are we going with it? So that's our concern, where are we going in the future?" Luna said.
READ MORE: Ida In New Jersey: From Lodi To Saddle Brook To Ridgewood, Bergen County An Absolute Disaster
The governor said many of the answers lie with the federal government.
"Our infrastructure, our playbook, as a state, as a country is not up to the task that is in front of us in terms of these storms," Murphy said. "That bipartisan ... all the infrastructure bills that they're talking about in Congress, with a lot of climate-resilient stuff in it ... not just FEMA money to get back on our feet, but we need the long-term money."
The governor said he has spoken to President Joe Biden and to the Federal Emergency Management Agency about getting federal funds to the state.
He said he plans to continue those discussions on Tuesday.
CBS2's Kiran Dhillon contributed to this report.
