Cuomo Declares State Of Emergency In 11 Counties

Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a State of Emergency for 11 counties, including Oneida and Herkimer, following heavy rains and flooding.

Cuomo is deploying 200 members of the National Guard to assist localities with response and clean-up operations.

The governor says the extreme weather has caused nearly 60 roads closures across the state and has left more than 241,000 buildings or homes without power.

"Overnight a severe storm hit the state, bringing with it high wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour and heavy rain that caused flash flooding and widespread power outages," Cuomo said. "This morning we did a swift water rescue in Herkimer County where a home was in danger of being swept away, taking five people out of the home including an infant. I am deploying 200 members of the National Guard to impacted areas to assist with response operations. These situations can be a matter of life and death, and I am urging all New Yorkers to exercise extreme caution and only travel if necessary."

The soldiers and airmen will be deployed over the next 24 hours and will be equipped with bobcats, dump trucks and front-end loaders to assist with clearing debris.