New York: Two people died in the neighboring country of New Jersey after flash floods swept the region under powerful storms that knocked the New York City area from Monday night to Tuesday, immersed cars and flooding stations.
The heavy rain came quickly and hard, flooding roads and underground train stations, causing major travel disorders across airports, highways and rail services. Emergency staff worked throughout the night as rising waters caught cars and brought life to stop all over the region.
More than 2 inches (5 cm) rain fell within a single hour in Manhattan’s Central Park – the second highest amount ever registered in 60 minutes – according to Mayor Eric Adams.
Recordings showed flooding water pouring into several underground stations on Monday night, including a powerful geyser of water gearing into one on Manhattan’s West side.
Officials said the city’s transport system could not handle the large amount of rainfall in such a short time. The aging sewer system is built to control approx. 1.44 cm per hour, said Rohit Aggarwala, the city’s environmental protection commissioner, while rainfall exceeded 4 inches per hour at the height of the storm.
“I probably can’t remember seeing that level of rain before,” Adams noted.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared an emergency and said two people had died in Plainfield after their vehicle was swept away by flooding water.
The victims were found inside a submerged car, Murphy told journalists.
He noted that some areas received 6 inches (15.25 cm) rainfall in less than two and a half hours with reports of flooding in places where it had never occurred before. The governor accused climate change for increasing frequency and intensity of such extreme weather.
“That’s the new reality,” he said.
In Westchester County, just north of New York City, emergency herds performed several hiking when cars were caught and roads closed due to flooding. Nearby in Rockland County, the suburb of nanuet saw more than 5 inches (12.7 cm) rain, according to National Weather Service.
