Governor Kathy Hochul stopped by the community of Canisteo in Steuben County on Sunday to survey the damage caused by the remnants of the original Hurricane Debby when the storm brought torrential rains on Friday.

Hochul said the storm dumped 4 to 6 inches of rain in parts of the region, destroying homes, roads and bridges but fortunately causing no serious injuries.

The governor said teams from states will help assess the extent of the damage so they can apply for federal disaster assistance.

In the meantime, however, the New York Homes and Community Renewal Agency can provide some assistance to affected homeowners, Hochul said.

“All affected homeowners are eligible for grants of up to $50,000 to reimburse storm-related costs not covered by insurance or other disaster assistance,” Hochul said. “This program did not exist three years ago when Fred hit this area.”

Steuben County Manager Jack Wheeler said the latest storm hit some of the same areas as Tropical Storm Fred three years ago.

Hochul said the state has already mobilized dozens of National Guard members to flood-affected areas, and state swift water crews have helped supplement the assistance provided to residents by local first responders.

Susan Watts/Darren McGee

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Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

Stacey Urban, whose family owns Moss Vanwie Farm in Canisteo, New York, said the floods destroyed about three-quarters of the 1,200-acre farm, including about 400 acres of corn, 200 acres of soybeans and hundreds more acres of hay used as feed for the cows and other animals.

“This is utter devastation,” she told the Associated Press on Sunday as firefighters cleared the house’s flooded basement. “We never thought something like this would happen.”

Urban said the family, which has operated the farm for about 37 years, has not yet had a chance to estimate the total damage, but said all 150 cows and 200 young animals are safe and all farm equipment has been recovered.

“Whether everything works is another matter,” she said. “The water came quickly.”

Officials announced plans to distribute water bottles and cleanup kits to residents affected by flash flooding on Sunday and Monday. The Red Cross also opened an emergency shelter for flood victims at Corning-Painted Post High School and planned to operate it through Monday.

The county, which borders Pennsylvania, declared a state of emergency on Friday and ordered the evacuation of several towns as homes, farms and roads were inundated by the floods.

“Twice in three years, Tuscarora Creek has gone from a gentle stream to a raging beast,” county officials wrote in a post on the government’s Facebook page Sunday afternoon. “It’s just too much. The sun was still up on Saturday. Volunteers were preparing breakfast. People from all four towns rolled up their sleeves and took a deep breath.”

During her visit to Canisteo on Sunday, Hochul stressed that state authorities would assist communities affected by Friday’s flooding, regardless of their size.

“I’m the first governor of the Upstate in over 100 years, I know these communities,” Hochul said. “This is where I come from. They will not be forgotten.”

Steuben County Legislature Chair Kelly Fitzpatrick said during the governor’s visit on Sunday how grateful she was for the state’s help. Fitzpatrick also expressed hope that “we can look at ways to improve our infrastructure so that when these incidents occur, we can make sure they cause less damage.”

Fitzpatrick said she knows many residents are suffering after their businesses or homes were destroyed, but she added that the county “is not going to give up on our businesses, we are not going to give up on our homes.”

Here is some information from Steuben County about water bottles and cleanup kits available to residents affected by the flash floods:

Distribution of water bottles –

Monday, August 12 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at all locations):

· Canisteo Fire Department – ​​14 South Main Street, Canisteo

· Woodhull Fire Department – ​​5193 West Main Street, Woodhull

· Greenwood Fire Department – ​​1574 Andover Street, Greenwood

The United Methodist Committee on Relief will distribute cleanup kits at the Woodhull Fire Department (5193 West Main Street, Woodhull) on Monday, August 12, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This story includes reporting from the Associated Press.