30-9-2023 (NEW YORK) New York City (NYC) was pummeled by torrential rains on Friday, resulting in a calamitous deluge that overwhelmed the city’s sewer system. The deluge sent a surge of floodwater coursing through the streets, seeping into basements, inundating schools, paralyzing subways, and submerging vehicles throughout the nation’s most populous city.
The onslaught of rain was both swift and relentless, catching many commuters off guard during Friday morning’s rush hour. In response to the crisis, first responders exhibited heroic efforts, rescuing individuals from stranded vehicles and basements that were filling up like bathtubs.
The staggering statistics of this event reveal the magnitude of the catastrophe. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport recorded nearly 8 inches of rainfall in a single day, a record not seen since 1948. Meanwhile, Brooklyn experienced a month’s worth of rain within just three hours, as it was relentlessly pounded by some of the storm’s most intense rainfall rates.
Amid this meteorological turmoil, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for NYC, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley as the worst of the flooding wreaked havoc. In an urgent message to the public, she implored residents to stay home due to the perilous travel conditions. Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey also declared a state of emergency for his state in response to the crisis.
Firefighters became unsung heroes as they carried out daring rescues in six flooded basements across NYC, grappling with torrents of water unleashed by the deluge.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) worked tirelessly to restore services, successfully bringing seven subway lines back to operational status by Friday evening. Demetrius Crichlow, the Senior Vice President of the New York City Transit Department of Subways, praised the resilience of New Yorkers, emphasizing their ability to persevere in the face of adversity.
Janno Lieber, the Chair and CEO of the MTA, reported the revival of one of three Metro-North Railroad lines, specifically the Hudson line. Notably, the Long Island Railroad also boasted reliable service. The MTA expressed its commitment to restoring limited service to the remaining two lines by Friday night.
The aviation sector was not immune to the chaos. Flight delays plagued all three major airports in the NYC area, with flooding inside the historic Marine Air Terminal in New York’s LaGuardia Airport forcing its closure. This terminal, which serves airlines such as Spirit and Frontier, is the smallest within the airport.
People are swimming in the subway in New York City. just think of all the trash and rodent feces and diseases. NYC MTA is in a state of emergency due to heavy rain and flooding. pic.twitter.com/H0KeCw6M6n
— Bitcoin New York City (@BSV_NYC) September 29, 2023
A travel advisory remained in effect for NYC until 6 a.m. ET on Saturday, with the potential for further flooding.
The ramifications of this deluge extended beyond the boundaries of NYC, affecting approximately 25 million people throughout the Northeast. The National Weather Service issued a Level 3 of 4 “moderate” risk for flash flooding, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
The relentless heavy rain began expanding north and eastward, casting its shadow over a broad expanse of southern New England throughout Friday evening. Connecticut, in particular, bore the brunt of the heaviest downpour, with flash flood warnings already in place by Friday afternoon. Regions spanning from central Connecticut to portions of Rhode Island could potentially witness one to three inches of rainfall by Friday evening’s end. Additionally, areas of Massachusetts, including Boston, were anticipated to accumulate widespread rainfall totals of one to two inches by the time the heaviest rain subsided on Friday night.
Drop everything. Drop everything. New York City is underwater. No place is safe. No one is immune. We are losing earth. It is vanishing before our eyes. The financial capital of the world’s largest economy is receding into the sea. How can this go on?
— Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) September 29, 2023
The extraordinary volume of rainfall during this cataclysmic event was exemplified by several record-breaking occurrences:
- Brooklyn experienced a deluge of up to 4.5 inches in just three hours on Friday morning, which, according to National Weather Service data, is expected only about once every 100 years in the borough, according to NOAA estimates.
- In Manhattan, Central Park was inundated with nearly 2 inches of rain within a single hour, marking the second-wettest hour in the park in 80 years. The total rainfall exceeded 5 inches.
- At John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, preliminary data from the National Weather Service indicated that it was the wettest day on record, with at least 7.88 inches of rain having fallen since midnight.
