Nassau County businesses hit hard by unprecedented flooding
VALLEY STREAM, N.Y. - For years, the Valbrook Diner in Valley Stream has been welcoming guests, but Friday’s rain and the flooding that came with it were far from invited.
Thomas Distefano tells us he’s doing everything he can to reopen by Wednesday. He estimates the unprecedented flooding caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage after food and equipment in the basement needed to be thrown out.
"This was just an act of god," he said. "It came down like crazy. Our basement filled up, two-feet within an hour."
Adding insult to injury, the diner is still dealing with debt from the COVID-19 pandemic making every day the doors stay closed even more difficult.
But the fight is getting harder for Andrea Comerchero.
We spoke with her back in 2021 just days after the remands of Hurricane Ida left several feet of water inside Temple Tikvah in New Hyde Park.
"It’s the 100-year storm that happened twice in two years," Comerchero said. "Brand-new carpet, walls, furniture, and here we are again."
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Long Island declares state of emergency amidst severe flooding concerns
Long Island is under a state of emergency.
The temple just completed a costly repair and renovation less than a month ago. Friday’s flooding set them back once again.
Over the next weeks, offices of emergency management in Counties throughout the state will tally up damage to determine areas that may receive federal assistance. In talking with FEMA, they encourage homeowners and businesses, even if you’re not in a flood zones to look into getting flood insurance.