NYC mayor ‘nowhere to be found’ as severe weather bears down on city

‘The mayor is still in touch with everybody on the ground,’ spokesperson says

New York City’s mayor-elect Eric Adams was nowhere to be found as the city prepared to experience harsh and extremely cold weather.

As per many reports, New Yorkers have been bracing for freezing weather and icy road conditions this week.

According to his office, Mr Adams left the city on Thursday and is set to return on Saturday.

Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for Adams, did not reveal the details of where the mayor travelled.

“The mayor is still in touch with everybody on the ground,” Mr Levy told Gothamist. “He is coordinating all the city’s responses.”

This news comes amid warnings or advisories for Storm Elliott as the historic polar vortex tightens its grip across the US on Friday.

According to reports, more than 200 million people are facing subzero temperatures – in some places as low as -40C.

This will be accompanied by dangerous winds, and blinding, heavy snowfall at a time when many families were planning a return to a somewhat normal festive season after several years of pandemic restrictions and worries.

Power outages across the US on Friday morning amid Winter Storm Elliott (poweroutage.us)

The National Weather Service described it as “one of the greatest extents of winter weather warnings and advisories ever”.

Due to these conditions, more than 3,000 flights were cancelled in the US on Friday and delays topped 14,000 planes. Major transit hubs in New York, Chicago, Washington, Denver, Minneapolis and Detroit were just a few of those impacted.

Podcaster Patrick Monahan wrote: “If Eric Adams doesn’t want the general public to know where he goes on vacation, he’s welcome to stop being the mayor of the largest city in the United States.”

The Twitter handle of New York Communities for Change posted: “Hey Twitter, help us find @NYCMayor! As NYC floods and our neighbors evacuate in freezing temperatures, Eric Adams is missing. Have you seen this man? Last spotted on Thursday leaving the city before a climate disaster. #WheresEric”

Follow The Independent’s live blog about Winter storm Elliott here.