Heavy overnight rain has partially paralyzed New York. A state of emergency has been declared in the city which witnessed one of the wettest days in decades. Airports and subways are not fully operational due to flooding in parts of America’s financial capital.
Flyers had to wade through water to enter the city’s LeGuardia airport, images on social media showed. The airport has also closed one of its terminals.
Heavy rains in the northeastern United States flooded parts of New York City on Friday, partially paralyzing subways and airports in the nation’s financial capital.
Look📹 pic.twitter.com/WIbs4oboEo— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 29, 2023
Half-submerged cars, blocked roads and traffic jams paralyzed traffic in the city. Mayor Eric Adams has urged people not to venture out.
“If you are at home, stay home. If you are at work or school, make sure there is shelter for the time being. Some of our subways are flooded and it is extremely difficult to get around the city to move,” Mr Adams called.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who declared a state of emergency for New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley, asked residents to plan their “escape routes” and not wait until the water was “up to their knees.”
More rain is expected in the city.
Transport hit
Several lines of the New York subway system were closed in Brooklyn as water flowed down the stairs and through the ceilings of some stations.
Record-breaking rain hit New York City today, sending flash flooding through city streets and into basements, schools, subways and vehicles in the nation’s most populous city.#flashflood#flashfloods#flood#flood#New York#newyorkcity#nyc#brooklyn#rainpic.twitter.com/MEWum2nPz3
— Aldrich (@observer888888) September 29, 2023
Subways in New York#flashfloods#flood#flood#New York#newyorkcity#nyc#brooklyn#rain#rainstorm#storm#streetfloods#sel#abd#USA#BREAK#williamsburg#NewJersey#Manhattan#queens#Weatherupdate
— Musa Kayrak (@musakayrak) September 29, 2023
Ahmed Abdou, a taxi driver in New York, told AFP that this is a regular occurrence and that the subway system is “terrible”.
The New York City Subway is one of the world’s largest train networks with 420 stations and more than 30 lines, an essential part of the millions of residents who depend on it to reach school and workplaces.
Trains were canceled at Grand Central Terminal in the heart of Manhattan, leaving passengers stranded for hours heading toward the suburbs.
The flash flood has also raised concerns about global warming.
Rohit Aggarwala Overall, the city’s Environmental Protection Commissioner, told AFP that climate change is to blame for the changing weather pattern and that the infrastructure response is unable to pick up the pace.