New York City and the tri-state area, encompassing New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, experienced record rainfall starting the night of 14/7 and continuing into the following day. The downpour resulted in flash floods and widespread inundation throughout the region.
Major roadways in New York City, including the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Cross Bronx Expressway, were temporarily closed due to flooding. Central Park recorded 52 mm of rain in a single hour, an amount considered a "once-in-two-decades" event for the area.
Several subway lines were shut down as a result of the flooding. Videos captured by commuters showed water gushing into the number 1 subway station in Manhattan, flooding even the inside of the train cars. Some passengers were forced to raise their feet onto the seats.
"When you have that amount of rain, the system gets overwhelmed, and the water finds places to go, including unfortunately into our subway system," Janno Lieber, head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, explained.
Subway service was fully restored by the morning of 15/7, but many roadways remained impassable due to the lingering floodwaters.
In Westchester County, officials rescued numerous individuals trapped in submerged vehicles. The town of Elmsford declared a state of emergency as the floods significantly damaged infrastructure, homes, and businesses.
A statewide state of emergency was also declared in New Jersey due to dangerous flooding conditions across the northern and central parts of the state.
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Flooded streets in New Jersey, USA, on 15/7. Photo: AFP |
Police officers in North Plainfield waded through chest-deep water to reach at least 30 homes and rescue 40 trapped residents. All schools and businesses in the town were closed on 15/7.
Elsewhere in the state, several roadways experienced severe flooding. Two women tragically lost their lives when their car was swept away by floodwaters in Plainfield.
As of 11 PM on 14/7, LaGuardia Airport had canceled 385 flights, Newark Airport 322, and JFK Airport in New York 226.
Over 100 flights were canceled on 15/7 as flash flood warnings extended to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and Arlington County, Virginia. Petersburg, Virginia, declared a state of emergency and urged residents to limit travel. Some residents reported floodwaters reaching 45 cm in their yards.
Duc Trung (According to ABC News, AP, Washington Post)
