The death toll from Hurricane Sandy continued
to climb in New York as more bodies were recovered in Staten Island
over the weekend amid complaints that the federal government and
emergency agencies are doing little or nothing to help storm victims.
Some residents are even saying they are the “forgotten borough” of New York City.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had
planned to hold the NYC Marathon on Sunday, the starting line of which
is in Staten Island. However, after widespread outrage from residents,
local officials, and even the media, Bloomberg announced late Friday the
marathon would be cancelled.
Bloomberg tried to avoid questions about the
marathon during a press conference Saturday night, but finally said it
“became a source of dissension and we don’t need that right now. … When
it became a divisive issue, I just made the decision that it should not
go on.”
While Bloomberg claimed earlier in the week
that no resources would be diverted to the marathon from hurricane
victims, he said at Saturday night’s press conference that 600 medical
blankets and 10,000 cases of water from the marathon would now be sent
to Midland Beach in Staten Island.
Bloomberg’s decision to hold the marathon,
according to Staten Island resident Vince Accetta, “was an absolute
disgrace.” After hearing the mayor cancelled it, he said, “Thank God he
did. We need police presence here. There’s no power, no traffic signs,
and a lot of looting going on.”
The Free Beacon contacted the NY
Police Department, the Fire Department of New York, Con Edison, and many
victims to tell the story of Staten Islanders who are severely
suffering seven days after the storm.
“We recovered two more bodies from Staten Island today,” FDNY Spokesman Frank Dwyer told the Free Beacon on Friday. He said the Fire Department had searched more than 30,000 homes in three days.
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