NY black out is 'a disaster'

2006-07-24 09:42

New York - New York political leaders have urged the state's governor, George Pataki, to designate a section of New York City as a disaster area after a prolonged power failure in the area.

The designation would make the city eligible for federal aid.

"Anywhere else it would be," said Republican Joe Crowley at a news conference in the New York borough of Queens on Sunday.

"If this were an area of 100 000 people in upstate New York, the governor would have declared it a disaster area."

A spokesperson for Pataki, Joanna Rose, said the governor had spoken with mayor Michael Bloomberg and had offered assistance.

She said the service provider whose damaged lines were causing the trouble, Consolidated Edison, was also bearing the burden.

"We believe it is Con Ed that should make restitution to those who have suffered," said Rose.

Bloomberg said electricity had been restored to 13 000 of the estimated 25 000 Consolidated Edison customers who had lost power in last week's heat wave.

He also said Con Ed workers were labouring to restore power to the rest.

'Officials should be held criminally responsible'

"Are we satisfied with the progress?" he asked. "It is what it is."

Bloomberg urged residents to put aside their frustrations over the power failure and thank the workers trying to correct it.

"The Con Ed workers are working an enormous number of hours. I don't think anyone should be satisfied, but the city's response has been as good as it could be," he said.

State assemblyman Michael Gianaris, a Democrat whose constituents bore the brunt of the power outage, said Con Edison officials should be held criminally responsible.

"How can anyone believe anything Con Ed says?" he said.

"I think what they did was criminal, and I hope to see some people who work at Con Ed in handcuffs before this is over."

Bloomberg said there was still no indication when all power would be re-established in the city, or why Queens had suffered while the rest of the city did not.

He said Con Ed had promised a report within two weeks.

Other officials said the city planned to reimburse small businesses for $7 000 (about R49&nbwsp;000) in perishable losses and that an emergency loan fund would be announced within a few days.

Nine senior citizen centres with air conditioning and meals were open in the city on Sunday.

- AP