New York's Cuomo Declares State of Emergency After Nor'easter

(Bloomberg) -- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency covering four counties following this weekend's nor'easter that snarled U.S. East Coast transportation and knocked out power.

The New York declaration covers Hudson Valley counties including Westchester, Dutchess, Putnam and Sullivan, Cuomo said in an emailed statement Sunday. More than three-quarters of the 182,000 New Yorkers without power live in those four counties, according to the statement.

New York joins Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts among states that have declared emergencies since March 2. New Jersey said it activated its State Emergency Operations Center, while Delaware said its similar unit is at “an enhanced activation level” due to the storm.

Strong winds on Friday prompted the federal government to close offices in Washington, temporarily grounded flights at New York's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International airports, and downed trees that disrupted service along Amtrak's corridor between Boston and Washington. Nine people died as a result of the storm, the Associated Press reported.

In a statement Sunday, Amtrak said that all scheduled Northeast Corridor service along the affected route will operate normally on Monday.

--With assistance from Brian K. Sullivan

To contact the reporter on this story: Mario Parker in Chicago at mparker22@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Simon Casey at scasey4@bloomberg.net, Kevin Miller

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