Floodwaters surge across New York and New Jersey amid heavy rain and travel chaos
Authorities across the region, including in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, warned of hazardous driving conditions due to the risk of flash floods. JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports temporarily suspended departures on Monday night, forcing the cancelation of dozens of flights.
Rescue workers in Scotch Plains, New Jersey waded into gushing floodwaters armed with red flotation devices after several drivers became stranded in the sudden surge, according to footage from CBS.
In New York City, video shared on social media showed muddy brown water spewing like a geyser in front of a subway station's turnstiles. Multiple subway lines were briefly suspended or running with delays, while above ground, massive traffic jams paralyzed several of the city's main thoroughfares.
The National Weather Service (NWS) urged drivers encountering flooded roads to "turn around" as "most flood deaths occur in vehicles." A flood warning remained in effect until Tuesday morning for parts of New Jersey, while the slow-moving storm was expected to continue depositing heavy rain on the US Mid-Atlantic region into the middle of the week, according to the NWS.
"The greatest concentration of storms will be across the southern Mid-Atlantic/Appalachians on Tuesday and shift northward with the boundary into the central Mid-Atlantic/Appalachians on Wednesday," the government forecaster said.
More than two inches of rain drenched several urban areas in less than two hours. New York's Staten Island recorded between four and six inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain on Monday night, according to the city's emergency notification system.
Zohran Mamdani, the Democrat running for mayor of New York City, wrote on social media that the rapid flooding emphasized the need for climate-proofing the city. "We must upgrade our infrastructure for this new climate reality," he wrote.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
15-07-2025
- France 24
Two dead in New Jersey as soaked US northeast braces for more rain
A flood warning remained in effect until Tuesday morning for parts of New Jersey, while the slow-moving summer storm was expected to continue showering the Mid-Atlantic region into the middle of the week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). "A moisture-rich Summer-time airmass over much of the eastern/central US will continue to lead to areas of scattered to widespread thunderstorms capable of heavy downpours and flash flooding," the government forecaster wrote. Torrential rain inundated parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland on Monday night. Two people died when their vehicle was swept into a river in Plainfield, a city in New Jersey, and emergency responders at the scene were unable to save them, local officials said. It follows another storm that struck the city on July 3 that claimed two lives. "We New Jersey, we America, we the globe, are getting dragged by climate," state Governor Phil Murphy said. In New York City, emergency officials told people living in low-lying areas or ubiquitous basement apartments to head to higher ground. Torrents of filthy rain water cascaded down Manhattan's major avenues around the time of the evening rush hour, and commuters sought cover under building canopies and bus stops. Several major stations in the city's subway system were flooded, with passengers sharing images on social media showing waves of water gushing past ticket barriers and onto the electrified tracks. In downtown Manhattan, dozens of passengers were reportedly trapped on a train as water poured into the 28th street station. JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports temporarily suspended departures Monday night, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights. FOX Forecast Center meteorologist Christopher Tate said the Big Apple overnight endured its "second wettest single hour ever recorded." More than two inches of rain fell in a single hour. The city is no stranger to extreme weather. Hurricane Sandy in 2012 killed more than 40 New Yorkers and destroyed approximately 300 homes. Hurricane Ida in 2021 left more than a dozen dead in New York City, and damage to the subway took years to repair. State of emergency New Jersey's governor declared a state of emergency, urging people to stay indoors. Authorities across the region, including as far south as North Carolina, warned of hazardous driving conditions as clean up operations were mounted across the region. The NWS urged drivers encountering flooded roads to "turn around." "Most flood deaths occur in vehicles," it said. In Lancaster Pennsylvania, severe flash flooding prompted a disaster declaration, while emergency responders plucked people from flooded basements and conducted 16 water rescues. "Intense rainfall dropped over seven inches of rain in less than five hours," the fire department in the county's Mount Joy Borough posted on Facebook. Staten Island recorded four to six inches (10-15 centimeters) of rain Monday night, according to the New York borough's emergency notification system. Zohran Mamdani, the Democrat running for mayor of New York, wrote on social media that the rapid flooding emphasized the need for climate-proofing the city. The latest bad weather follows historic Fourth of July flooding that devastated parts of central Texas, killing at least 131 people and leaving more than 100 others missing. And in North Carolina, at least five people were killed when Tropical Storm Chantal slammed the coastal state last week, Governor Josh Stein said. © 2025 AFP
LeMonde
15-07-2025
- LeMonde
Floodwaters surge across New York and New Jersey amid heavy rain and travel chaos
Heavy rain inundated parts of New York and New Jersey on Monday night, July 14, while flash flood warnings were in effect across a wide swathe of the eastern seaboard, where travel was massively disrupted and some vehicles trapped. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency, urging people to stay indoors. Authorities across the region, including in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, warned of hazardous driving conditions due to the risk of flash floods. JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports temporarily suspended departures on Monday night, forcing the cancelation of dozens of flights. Rescue workers in Scotch Plains, New Jersey waded into gushing floodwaters armed with red flotation devices after several drivers became stranded in the sudden surge, according to footage from CBS. In New York City, video shared on social media showed muddy brown water spewing like a geyser in front of a subway station's turnstiles. Multiple subway lines were briefly suspended or running with delays, while above ground, massive traffic jams paralyzed several of the city's main thoroughfares. The National Weather Service (NWS) urged drivers encountering flooded roads to "turn around" as "most flood deaths occur in vehicles." A flood warning remained in effect until Tuesday morning for parts of New Jersey, while the slow-moving storm was expected to continue depositing heavy rain on the US Mid-Atlantic region into the middle of the week, according to the NWS. "The greatest concentration of storms will be across the southern Mid-Atlantic/Appalachians on Tuesday and shift northward with the boundary into the central Mid-Atlantic/Appalachians on Wednesday," the government forecaster said. More than two inches of rain drenched several urban areas in less than two hours. New York's Staten Island recorded between four and six inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain on Monday night, according to the city's emergency notification system. Zohran Mamdani, the Democrat running for mayor of New York City, wrote on social media that the rapid flooding emphasized the need for climate-proofing the city. "We must upgrade our infrastructure for this new climate reality," he wrote.
Euronews
11-07-2025
- Euronews
Mourning begins in Texas where over 170 are still missing after floods
Shock has turned into grief across central Texas, where at least 120 people have died from flash flooding and more than 170 are still reported as missing. Photos of those who have died, along with candles and flowers, now decorate a fence in Hill Country – a growing tribute that reflect the enormity of the disaster in the region. Victims include three friends who had gathered for the July Fourth weekend, 8-year sisters who were at summer camp and a 91-year-old grandmother. Authorities said they were reviewing lists of those still unaccounted for, but that these tallies can often fluctuate in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Texas authorities have set up disaster recovery centres for those affected, offering survivors a hub to register for federal assistance and other services. Grocery store gift cards were distributed for income-qualified households and financial assistance for hotel stays and utility bills were offered. Search and recovery teams continued combing through debris and riverbanks in Hill Country and its surrounding areas, where some of the worst damage occurred. Officials said nearly 100 victims have been found in Kerr County alone. Survivors have described narrow escapes during the night-time flooding. One woman said she and others, including a toddler, climbed into an attack and then onto a roof to avoid rising waters. They watched cars float past and heard screams in the dark. US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Texas on Friday. He has pledged to give whatever relief Texas needs to recover. 'I think it's awesome that he cares to come down here and help us and do what he can,' said Kerrville resident Margaret Marrell, as she visited a memorial with flowers and photos of the flood victims. What happened? The Guadalupe river in Texas surged more than eight metres in just 45 minutes last Friday, destroying homes, camps and vehicles. The disaster unfolded as heavy rains continued across Texas into the weekend, prompting more flash flood warnings. Authorities have come under scrutiny over whether proper warnings were issued to camps and residents in an area long known for severe flash flooding. Officials defended their actions, stating that they had not expected such an intense downpour, which was the equivalent to months' worth of rain for the area. Texas governor Greg Abbot called on state lawmakers to approve funding for new warning systems and emergency communications in flood prone areas. "We must ensure better preparation for such events in the future," he said in a statement on Wednesday. Forecast service AccuWeather, along with the National Weather Service, had issued warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation. For years, scientists have been sounding the alarm that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events – including flash floods – around the world. Studies continue to show that warmer oceans and a wetter atmosphere are fuelling stronger and more frequent storms everywhere from Europe to the US.
