Weather

Cranford FEMA Office Opens, Likely Will Stay Through Month

A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center office opened in Cranford this week and will have hours six days a week, after Hurricane Ida flooded town.

CRANFORD, NJ — In the aftermath of Tropical Depression Ida, which caused millions of dollars in damage in Cranford and Union County on Sept. 1, FEMA was to open a Disaster Recovery Center in Cranford this Tuesday.

It will be open Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to a Nixle message from the town.

"The DRC will likely be open through October and potentially into November, if the need exists," the message said. Residents do not need appointments to go to the DRC.

Find out what's happening in Cranfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Last month, news outlets shared dramatic videos of the sudden flooding in Cranford from record rains. READ MORE: Rain Total Higher In Cranford Than Much Of Union County

One video, taken in Cranford, shows a young man walking through his basement. Soon after, floodwaters force down the wall and rush into the room, a dangerous situation. The Valle family told news outlets how they barely escaped death.

Find out what's happening in Cranfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

A week after the floods, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that Union was among four New Jersey counties eligible for a second round of funding. Officials in all four counties were frustrated when their cities and towns were left off the initial list.

Apply for assistance here, or learn more about the Individual Assistance program.

The state's flooding and death toll was covered by the international media.

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