- Heavy rainfall paralyzes NYC.
- Subway and airports affected.
- State of emergency declared.
Heavy overnight rainfall in the northeastern United States flooded parts of New York City on Friday, partially paralyzing the city’s subways and airports.
One of LaGuardia Airport’s terminals closed, with social media images showing passengers wading through water well above their shoes.
Due to blocked streets and inundated tube stations, Mayor Eric Adams urged residents to stay indoors.
“If you are at home, do not leave. If you are at work or school, shelter in place for now, as some of our subways are flooded, and it is difficult to move around the city,” he advised.
Images from New York showed half-submerged vehicles and gridlocked traffic, with some main roads entirely blocked.
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The owners of flooded stores tried to protect their merchandise and push the water back into the streets.
Several lines of the expansive New York City subway system suspended in Brooklyn.
Egypt-born taxi driver Ahmed Abdou, 50, criticized officials for their inability to deal with a recurring problem.
“The underground system in the city is terrible,” he stated. “Every year, all cyclones occur at the same time. We should be more prepared.” However, Rohit Aggarwal, the city’s Environmental Protection Commissioner, said that global warming had progressed faster than the city’s ability to respond.
This changing weather pattern is a result of global warming. “The unfortunate reality is that our climate is changing faster than our infrastructure can adapt,” said Overall.
State of emergency
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared an emergency in New York City and its highly populated suburbs. Including Long Island to the east and the Hudson River valley to the north.
The National Weather Service predicts two inches (5.1 centimetres) of rain every hour through Friday evening.
Friday’s accumulation might exceed seven inches (18 centimetres), warning of flash floods in urban areas with poor drainage.
Sue Evangelista, a 63-year-old retiree, waited five hours at Grand Central Terminal in the heart of Manhattan for a train to take her and her husband to Connecticut.
However, the train was canceled, leaving them and thousands of other suburban residents stranded.
“Once they start calling the trains, I believe there will be a mad rush because people will be leaving work, and it will become more crowded,” she said.
A low-pressure system along the mid-Atlantic coast, which draws saturated air from the ocean, caused the rain.
In September 2021, Hurricane Ida caused widespread flooding in the region, especially in Brooklyn and Queens, killing 13 people, the majority of whom were stranded in basement apartments.
Friday saw some of the worst flooding in both municipalities, and residents were warned to take extra precautions.
“If you live in these boroughs or in a basement flat or flood-prone area, please make sure you have plans and are prepared to move to higher ground,” urged New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol.
Water poured down staircases and through ceilings at some of the world’s busiest tube stations (420 stations, 30 lines).
Millions of city inhabitants depend on the underground, but floods closed numerous lines, including Brooklyn’s.
Hochul stated that it was crucial to get the tube back up and running because many children rely on it to get to school — to the ire of parents who questioned why schools were even open on Friday, with many children who made it to school despite the rain being stranded there.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said in a statement, “This morning’s events have made it abundantly clear that New York City and State must improve their processes for communicating with New Yorkers about sudden and extreme weather before it occurs.”
“The climate catastrophe is already here, and we must act accordingly.”
