Washington - As Tropical Storm Hanna moves up the eastern United States today, forecasters are predicting that it will dump several inches of rain on New Jersey, which has numerous flood-prone areas. U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), whose office has been in contact with U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, today said he wants New Jersey residents to be prepared for the possibility of flooding and that his office has helped relay information to local mayors, police chiefs and Office of Emergency Management county coordinators in flood-prone areas, apprising them of a web resource where they can monitor river levels: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nj/nwis/current/?type=flow.

"As we can all vividly remember from previous flooding, preparedness can make all the difference," said Senator Menendez. "Hopefully we will dodge a bullet this weekend, but with the possibility of a tropical storm that could bring buckets of rain, I want New Jerseyans to be ready and to be safe, for their families and for their property. It is important to be vigilant, to keep an eye on news reports and to listen to local authorities and first responders.

"My office is in contact with the Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA and will continue to receive updates over the weekend. I directed my staff to proactively contact local mayors, police chiefs and emergency response coordinators in flood-prone areas to relay information and ensure that they are aware of the resources available to monitor water levels in nearby rivers. Preparedness and information are important, and the more our state is ready, the better we can weather this storm."

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