PHOTOS: Heavy Rains Bring Flash Floods to New York City; Roads and Subways Paralyzed as State of Emergency Declared
Heavy rains overnight in the northeastern United States left parts of New York City under water on Friday, partially paralyzing subways and airports in the country’s financial capital.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) declared an official state of emergency for the city, Long Island to the east, and the Hudson River valley to the north, warning people to not travel on flooded roads.
Images from around New York showed cars half-submerged and traffic snarled, with some major roads completely blocked.
The massive New York subway system was also hit by the flooding, with several lines closed in Brooklyn.
A general view shows cars stranded in floodwater on the FDR highway in Manhattan, New York, on September 29, 2023. Heavy rains overnight in the northeastern United States left parts of New York City under water on Friday, partially paralyzing subways and airports in the country’s financial capital. (Ed JONES / AFP) (Photo by ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
A general view shows cars stranded in floodwater on the FDR highway in Manhattan, New York, on September 29, 2023. (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
A general view shows cars stranded in floodwater on the FDR highway in Manhattan, New York, on September 29, 2023. (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
A general view shows cars stranded in floodwater on the FDR highway in Manhattan, New York, on September 29, 2023. (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
A motorist stands by his broken-down car in floodwater on the FDR highway in Manhattan, New York, on September 29, 2023. (Ed JONES / AFP) (Photo by ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
Cars in floodwater on the FDR highway in Manhattan, New York, on September 29, 2023. (Ed JONES / AFP) (Photo by ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
A woman holding an umbrella walks through through floodwater in Brooklyn, New York, on September 29, 2023. (Ed JONES / AFP) (Photo by ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
Vehicles make their way through floodwater in Brooklyn, New York, on September 29, 2023. (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
A man clears debris from a drain as a car make their way through floodwater in Brooklyn, New York, on September 29, 2023. (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
A man tries to pass a flooded street with his bicycle after a heavy rain in Williamsburg, New York, United States on September 29, 2023. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A general view of a flooded street in Williamsburg, New York, United States on September 29, 2023. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A general view of a flooded street in Williamsburg, New York, United States on September 29, 2023. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A general view of a flooded street in Williamsburg, New York, United States on September 29, 2023. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A general view of a flooded street in Williamsburg, New York, United States on September 29, 2023. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A person pushes a barricade floating on a flooded E 10th Street amid a coastal storm on September 29, 2023 in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough New York City. Flash flooding is expected in the counties of Nassau, Queens and Kings, which includes Brooklyn, according to the state’s National Weather Service office as remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia reaches the Northeast. Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency for the NYC area. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
A car drives through a flooded Parkside Avenue amid a coastal storm on September 29, 2023 in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
A car is pushed through flooded streets in the Red Hook neighborhood on September 29, 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
A woman walks through the flooded streets in the Red Hook neighborhood on September 29, 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
People walk under umbrellas amid heavy rain on September 29, 2023, in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough New York City. Flash flooding is expected in the counties of Nassau, Queens and Kings, which includes Brooklyn, according to the state’s National Weather Service office as remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia reaches the Northeast. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
People stand around at the Church Avenue subway station as subway service is stopped amid heavy rain on September 29, 2023, in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
People stand around at the Church Avenue subway station as subway service is stopped amid heavy rain on September 29, 2023, in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
“There is only extremely limited subway service available because of heavy flooding. Service is suspended at many stations,” the subway declared on social media.
“Please stay home if you don’t need to travel,” it said.
The National Weather Service warned of flooding through late Friday with as much as two inches (5.1 centimeters) of rain falling per hour.
Watch: Flooding Hits New Jersey Streets as Well
@BadHoboken / WEATHER TRAKER /TMX
It said total accumulation on Friday could hit seven inches (18 centimeters).
“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,” it said.
The rain came from a low pressure system along the mid-Atlantic coast, which pulls in moist air from the ocean.
In September 2021 Hurricane Ida brought extensive flooding to the region, leaving 13 people dead, many of them trapped in basement apartments.
The AFP contributed to this story.
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