Federal emergency declaration approved for Suffolk County, Hochul says

BROOKHAVEN, N.Y. — President Joe Biden has approved a federal emergency declaration in Suffolk County, New York following last week’s devastating flooding, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday.
The declaration means Suffolk County will have access to assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for emergency work on critical infrastructure.
Hochul’s office said local and federal partners are still working to determine if Suffolk County qualifies for federal funding from a major disaster declaration.
Hochul declared a state of emergency in the county on Friday and said the state housing authority will launch an emergency repair program for homeowners on Long Island. Under the program, homeowners may be eligible for grants of up to $50,000 to fund or reimburse certain repairs that are not covered by insurance or other disaster relief programs.
The president also approved a federal emergency declaration for parts of Connecticut that were affected by the same storm.
Suffolk County was hit hard by heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding on Aug. 18 and 19. The National Weather Service declared the first-ever flash flood emergency in the county during the event.
Sound Beach saw the most rain in the county with a total of 10.18 inches recorded.
The governor’s office said over 2,000 residents and business owners experienced some kind of flood damage, and Stony Brook University suffered extensive damage, forcing the school to cancel its move-in day and relocate hundreds of students.
Hochul’s office said Department of Financial Services staff will be at Stony Brook University’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday to provide insurance help to residents.