New York City Declares State of Emergency as Rain, Flash Floods Cause Havoc | WATCH – News18

New York City in the US officially declared a state of emergency on Friday as heavy rains overnight left parts of the country’s financial capital under water, partially paralysing its subways and airports.

Images on social media showed half-submerged cars on flooded roads stuck in traffic snarls and pedestrians wading through knee-deep water. Governor Kathy Hochul declared the emergency for the city, warning people not to travel on flooded roads.

The city’s massive subway system was also hit by the flash flooding, with several lines closed in Brooklyn. “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.

At least one terminal of the LaGuardia airport closed due to the flood-like situation. The National Weather Service warned of flooding through late Friday with as much as 5.1 cm of rain falling per hour. It said total accumulation on Friday could hit 18 cm.

“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.

(With inputs from AFP)