 "Representative image. AFP")
Residents of New York have been issued a flash flood warning, while New Jersey’s governor declared a state of emergency after heavy rains lashed through both states.
The National Weather Service office for the New York City region said that both New York and New Jersey are experiencing life-threatening flash flooding triggered by widespread storms.
“Please stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. Stay safe, New Jersey,” the state’s Governor Phil Murphy said as he announced an emergency.
Meanwhile, in New York, residents living in basement apartments have been asked to be on standby to vacate their homes. “If you live in a basement apartment, stay alert. Flash flooding can happen with little warning, including overnight. Be ready to move to higher ground,” New York City Emergency Management said.
Early Monday evening, New York City Emergency Management reported rainfall totals of 1.67 inches in Staten Island and 1.47 inches in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood. The update, shared on X around 7:30 p.m., also warned that additional rain was expected later that night.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsNew York’s LaGuardia International Airport and New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport witnessed flight disruptions owing to the bad weather, while the John F. Kennedy Airport warned of possible problems. According to the aeroplane tracking website, FlightAware, all three airports reported flight cancellations late on Monday.
Emergency officials reported that standing water forced the closure of the Cross Bronx Expressway in both directions at Macombs Road. The city also warned of delays on FDR Drive and Harlem River Drive due to flooding Monday night.
Meanwhile, the New York Transit Department said it was conducting rescue operations in multiple subway stations in Queens, where trains were “severely disrupted.” The Staten Island Railway has suspended train services on both lines because of floods.