Residents in flooded neighborhoods in New York City used kayaks to navigate the streets after a powerful northeast cyclone brought strong winds, heavy rain and high tides to the city's coastline.
Videos from Queens showed people paddling through flooded streets toward a train station. Low-lying areas of Howard Beach and other neighborhoods around Jamaica Bay were hardest hit.
Water levels reached nearly a meter in some places
National Weather Service data showed about 2 feet of water in places in Howard Beach. In some parts of the neighborhood, between 45 and 60 centimeters of flooding were measured, and on Brookville Boulevard the water reached approximately 70 centimeters.
The situation was even more serious on City Island in the Bronx, where sensors of the city's FloodNet system recorded about 80 centimeters of water on the roadway. Some streets and parked cars remained underwater.
The Associated Press reported that in New York and New Jersey, some residents used kayaks on flooded streets. In coastal areas of New Jersey, water flooded homes, businesses and roads at every high tide.
Authorities warned not to enter the water
New York City Hall had warned of a risk of flooding in the Rockaways, around Jamaica Bay and along the east shore of Staten Island. City officials urged residents not to walk or drive through flooded streets, regardless of the apparent depth of the water.
“Anyone who goes near the water this weekend is literally risking their life,” said New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, quoted by the Associated Press.
According to the National Weather Service, the danger was associated not only with rainfall, but also with a combination of strong winds and high tides. Officials warned that the floodwaters could contain sewage, chemicals and debris.
The storm also caused other damage in the region. In New York, fallen trees caused one death and injuries, and more than 100,000 customers in the northeastern United States were left without power at times.
High tides were expected to maintain the risk of further flooding in low-lying coastal areas even after the cyclone weakened.