The New York City area experienced torrential rains as the remnant of Hurricane Ida battered the region.
According to the National Weather Service, 3.15 inches of rain fell in Central Park in the course of an hour, which The New York Post notes is believed to be a record.
The flooding prompted the National Weather Services’ first flash flooding warning for the city. In a tweet, it said, “This is the first time we’ve ever had to issue one.”
“To be clear… this particular warning for NYC is the second time we’ve ever issued a Flash Flood Emergency (It’s the first one for NYC). The first time we’ve issued a Flash Flood Emergency was for Northeast New Jersey a an hour ago,” a separate tweet said.
To be clear… this particular warning for NYC is the second time we've ever issued a Flash Flood Emergency (It's the first one for NYC). The first time we've issued a Flash Flood Emergency was for Northeast New Jersey a an hour ago. https://t.co/7k55jeXbpb
— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) September 2, 2021
At least 14 people were killed amid the flooding.
Videos shared on social media showed scale of the historic flooding:
This looks more like a subway car wash than a subway station. This flooding has to be doing an incredible amount of damage to the NYC subway system. pic.twitter.com/bgtMbjiHvM
— Mike Saccone (@mikesacconetv) September 2, 2021
Flooding in 28th St Station NYC!!! And everyone is taking videos!!!!#OnlyInNYC pic.twitter.com/eV2QlALEno
— Aleksander Milch (@AleksanderMilch) September 2, 2021
This is an apartment in NYC right now during the flooding ? pic.twitter.com/nzsixe9tiU
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) September 2, 2021
The Sprain Parkway (h/t my dad) pic.twitter.com/2IBfFIXFvt
— Nick Reisman (@NickReisman) September 2, 2021
Meanwhile flooding #NYC subway is the stuff of disaster movies pic.twitter.com/qJ8E3ZiRXu
— Jon Nicosia (@NewsPolitics) September 2, 2021
VERY BAD flooding situation in NYC tonight… and that still seems like a massive understatement. pic.twitter.com/WGamSH94kw
— John Kassell (@wxkassell) September 2, 2021
Current flooding situation in NYC. What barracks does this scene remind you of? pic.twitter.com/HH2RnlitBz
— Zero Blog Thirty (@ZeroBlog30) September 2, 2021
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) told CNN on Thursday, “New York is used to disasters, but you cannot imagine how much rain fell out of the heavens last night.”
“There’s going to be a massive cleanup. I would urge people to stay home, check on your neighbors, make sure they’re OK,” she added.
As of Thursday morning, at least 200,000 homes in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were without power as a result of the storm.
Tornadoes were also reported in Maryland and New Jersey.
