Residents Urged to Exercise Caution as Flash Floods Disrupt New York City
Mohammed Yousuf
New York City -Sep-29-2023 : In the wake of relentless rain and flash floods that have wreaked havoc on the city, New York City Mayor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency. Images flooding social media platforms depict partially submerged vehicles stranded on inundated roads, creating traffic jams, while pedestrians navigate through knee-deep water.
The city’s extensive subway system has also been severely affected by the flash flooding, resulting in the closure of several lines in Brooklyn. The subway system announced on social media, “There is only extremely limited subway service available because of heavy flooding. Service is suspended at many stations. Please stay home if you don’t need to travel.”
At least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport has been closed due to the flood-like conditions. The National Weather Service has issued warnings of continued flooding through late Friday, with rainfall rates reaching as high as 5.1 cm per hour. Total rainfall accumulation for Friday could reach up to 18 cm.
The weather service cautioned, “Excessive runoff will likely result in scattered to numerous instances of flash flooding in urban and poor drainage areas, as well as along quick-responding small rivers and streams.”
This intense rainfall is attributed to a low-pressure system along the mid-Atlantic coast, which draws in moist air from the ocean. The region previously experienced extensive flooding in September 2021 when Hurricane Ida struck, resulting in 13 fatalities, many of whom were trapped in basement apartments.
