It has been over a week since New York City was struck by a tornado, yet parts of Queens such as Flushing and Forest Hills are still awaiting needed repairs. Many critics say that the government response has been too slow. But according to the local government, New York City is still waiting for a response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and clarification on federal funds for emergency repairs and restoration of services. In order to qualify for federal FEMA relief, total damages must exceed $25,000,000.

Currently, FEMA inspectors are checking the scale of the damage and collecting data that will be used to reach a final decision on relief funding. This will take some time, delaying the availability of funding if approved.

In a press conference on September 23, New York City politicians Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-District 16), Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-District 22), and Councilman Peter Koo (R-District 20) urged residents to call the city's 311 hotline and report damages so that specific areas may be declared disaster areas if needed. But until any of this is done, many Korean and other ethnic residents of affected areas are suffering.

A week after the storm, some areas in Flushing have had electricity restored, but are still waiting for restoration of other services, such as telephone, Internet and cable. Some areas are still awaiting the return of electricity.

Forest Hills residents are also very concerned about scattered debris, such as tree limbs that went down in the high winds and are hanging on or near power lines, creating potentially dangerous situations.

Ms. Mi-young Cho, a resident of Flushing, expressed her anger at the government: "I haven't been able to make any calls, and am without TV. I can't live like this. I'm not able to do normal things now. Receiving disaster relief from the government is important, but priority should be given to the restoration of the infrastructure, so we can return to normal life."

Meanwhile, the phone company has said that the government must clean up tree limbs on lines before any line repairs can be made. This means more delays before service can be restored.

FEMA inspectors are also determining if individuals can qualify for relief funds based upon the extent of individual property damage – including auto, home. However, many who might qualify for aid do not have the needed phone service to call 311.