HOBOKEN AND BEYOND — With forecasts for New Jersey becoming more and more dire due to the predicted arrival of Hurricane Irene Sunday morning, the city of Hoboken posted a warning on their website late on Wednesday. They said that an evacuation may be necessary, and encouraged residents to seek other locations if possible.
As noted in a previous Hoboken Reporter story, parts of Hudson County and Hoboken could be under two stories of water if the area suffers a rare direct hit.
While hurricanes always receive extensive coverage before they hit – and they often turn out to be weaker than predicted – it has been many years since forecasters expected a category 2 storm to make landfall in this area.
The city’s release is as follows:
The City of Hoboken is making preparations for the potential impacts of Hurricane Irene, which is currently forecast to reach the Northeast as a Category 2 hurricane between late Saturday and Monday. Residents are strongly urged to be prepared.
“If we are hit by a hurricane – even a Category 1 – the flooding can be very widespread and severe,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “Even areas of Hoboken that don’t normally flood could be under many feet of water, so residents need to prepare now and be ready to move their vehicles to higher ground or out of town if necessary. We will continue to monitor the situation as the storm progresses, and if conditions warrant it, will call for an evacuation, but at this time we are asking residents with family or friends in the area or the ability to stay elsewhere to consider leaving town early for the weekend. This is a threat that residents must take seriously.”
Emergency evacuation shelters at the Wallace School and Hoboken High School are stocked with water and cots. Generators are in place for running emergency operations if needed. North Hudson Sewerage Authority is inspecting pumps and clearing catch basins. Evacuation plans have been reviewed and are in place if necessary.
Residents are advised to monitor conditions and be prepared for the possibility of severe flooding, high winds, and loss of electricity. Residents should seriously consider moving their vehicles outside of Hoboken and should be prepared to evacuate if an evacuation order is issued. At this time, the City is asking residents with the ability to stay at another location outside of Hoboken to consider doing so.
Watch HudsonReporter.com this week and this weekend for updates.