BERGEN COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHIEF OF STAFF JEANNE BARATTA TELLS THE RECORD NEWSPAPER THE ENTIRE TOWN OF MOONACHIE IS UNDER WATER AND AS MANY AS 1,000 PEOPLE COULD NEED TO BE EVACUATED. BARATTA SAYS PEOPLE IN A TRAILER PARK HAVE HAD TO CLIMB ON THE ROOFS OF THEIR TRAILERS TO AWAIT RESCUE. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF INJURIES OR DEATHS.
MEANWHILE, ATLANTIC CITY’S MAYOR SAYS HE WOULD LOVE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO CONFRONT NEW JERSEY GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE “MANO A MANO.” SPEAKING ON NBC’S “TODAY” SHOW TUESDAY, MAYOR LORENZO LANGFORD DISPUTED CHRISTIE’S CRITICISM THAT LANGFORD ERRED BY ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SHELTER ON THE BARRIER ISLAND RATHER THAN MOVING THEM INLAND. LANGFORD SAYS THE GOVERNOR WAS EITHER MISINFORMED OR ILL-ADVISED. THE MAYOR SAYS WHILE MOST ATLANTIC CITY RESIDENTS FLED THE ISLAND, SOME DECIDED TO STAY. LANGFORD SAYS THE CITY HAD A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN PLACE FOR THOSE WHO DIDN’T HEED THE WARNING TO EVACUATE.
LANGFORD SAYS IT’S REPREHENSIBLE THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD TRY TO PLAY POLITICS OUT OF A SERIOUS SITUATION. SPEAKING ON “TODAY,” CHRISTIE SAID HIS “ANGER HAS TURNED TO SYMPATHY FOR THOSE FOLKS.”
