Mayor Eric Adams was blasted for a slow response to Friday’s massive flooding — after he failed to issue more than the most meager warning the day before and even showed up late for an emergency management hearing with other officials.
While other leaders from organizations such as the MTA held major briefings, Adams’ only warning to New Yorkers Thursday were some retweeted weather announcements — he then went off to a party that night, leaving classes to go on as normal at schools, some of which wound up flooded.
He finally issued a state of emergency some two hours after Gov. Kathy Hochul did so for the state — and as rain started to taper off.
Even fellow Democrats were left steaming.
“I am dumbfounded by the lack of communication from City Hall to prepare people for this extreme weather event,” Councilman Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn), who represents Brooklyn Heights and South Williamsburg, told The Post.
“Aggressive, early communication and to plan for the worst case scenario. . . Neither happened here.”
Adams’ first comment on the storm came at about midday, warning people to stay home after hundreds of thousands of school kids had already headed out to class.
“If you are home stay home, if you are at work, shelter in place for now,” said the mayor, who arrived 40 minutes late to his press conference with Hochul and city and state agency heads.
The mayor’s emergency declaration came two hours after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a similar order — and hours after weather experts said it was clear the rain would create serious and possibly deadly conditions.
“There were already significant road closures and ponding of water and standing water on our roads in the 5 a.m. hour,” Accuweather Director of Forecasting Dan DePodwin told The Post. “The really significant issues began starting in the 5 and 6 am hours this morning, and then it just ramped up from there.”
The foot-dragging by Adams got him dragged online.
“Like many New Yorkers, our member’s homes are flooding RIGHT NOW,” New York Communities for Change tweeted.
“Where is Eric Adams??? And why is he attacking the city’s climate law??? Why does he oppose taxing the rich so we can fix infrastructure???”
X user @IanMacAllen posted a “Where’s Waldo” image of the mayor at about noon with the comment: “Has anyone seen Eric Adams since Brooklyn started flooding?”
City Hall defended the Adams administration’s response, which relied on social media and city alerts to inform the public on Thursday and Friday.
Adams’ spokesperson Fabien Levy said the decision to issue a state of emergency was made hours prior to the announcement but it remained unclear why it wasn’t made public.
City Hall did not immediately respond to a series of questions from The Post.
As the storm approached, Adams held a swanky birthday fundraiser on Thursday evening at The Hudson NYC where the suggested contribution was $2,100, according to the invite.
New York City leaders were irate over the administration’s response — or lack thereof.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso called on the city and state to revamp its messaging when it comes to severe weather.
“This morning’s events have made it glaringly apparent that New York City and State must improve their processes for communicating with New Yorkers about sudden and extreme weather before it happens,” Reynoso said.