Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, Goes Door to Door Urging East Ward To Evacuate!

Cory Booker and city officials went door-to-door in Newark’s East Ward, urging citizens in high-risk flood zones to get out before the worst of Hurricane Irene hits the city late Saturday. Now this guy is an all-star mayor!! Door-to-door in a hurricane?! Amazing!! Hit the jump for more details…

@ItsLukieBaby

(Patch)–While mandatory evacuations of the area are “highly unlikely,” residents who live west of Oxford Street, north of Raymond Boulevard and east of Route 1/9 are urged to voluntarily evacuate, Newark Mayor Cory Booker announced at a press conference Saturday afternoon.

“I want to reiterate to you the flooding that we normally see in these areas is nothing like what we’re expecting during this storm,” said Booker. “It will be considerably worse and we will be taking precautions. We are strongly encouraging you to voluntarily evacuate those areas.”

City officials unveiled a list of low-lying flood zones in Newark mostly surrounding the Passaic River but including some streets in the West, South and North Wards. (Click here for a complete list of streets.) Residents who are unable to move inland are encouraged to seek safety at a city shelter, which open Saturday 6 p.m. (Click here for a list of shelters.)

“If you are concerned about your safety or your ability to ride out the storm during the most severe part which will be happening from this evening through tomorrow, then you should go to a shelter,” said Booker. “It is the safest thing to do.”

Hurricane Irene is expected to hit New Jersey 5 p.m. as a Category 1 storm, with rain and winds peaking between midnight and 2 p.m. Sunday. In Newark, rain started pelting streets in the Ironbound around noon Saturday.

Anna Coelho, a Newark resident, said Van Buren Street, where she lives, has a tendency of flooding and so does Independence Park, which is across from her house.

“I have seen it get pretty high,” she said about flooding in the area.

As much as a foot of water has flooded the neighborhood, reaching the first front concrete step leading to her house, she said.

As for evacuation, she and a few neighbors said they did not plan on leaving. Coelho said she bought extra food and supplies in the event they are confined to their homes.

Assemblyman Alberto Coutinho (D-Essex), Ironbound native, said there are numerous parts in the Ironbound that are susceptible to flooding because they are in low lying areas and also because of the city’s antiquated sewer and storm system.

“There are capacity issues,” he said. “They desperately need to be replaced.”

The intersection of Jefferson and Oliver streets have historically received bad flooding, he said. In fact, a storm surge damaged a car of his car about half a dozen years ago.

Parts of South Street have flooded before, he said. Also areas around Delancey, Adams, and Van Buren streets are prone to flooding.

“I have not heard of anybody leaving the Ironbound because of the storm,” he noted.

Coutinho said besides flooding, the bigger issues Newark and Belleville residents need to be worried about are power outages and downed trees.

“People need to be prepared,” he said.