Two people died yesterday in flooded basements in New York, after torrential rains caused serious traffic disruptions and closed numerous roads, the Associated Press reports, citing local authorities, BTA reports.
In Brooklyn, a diving team found the body of a 39-year-old man after firefighters received a call about a person trapped in a flooded basement around 4:30 p.m. Police said the man died at the hospital, and his identity has not been released.
In Manhattan, a 43-year-old man died at the scene after a witness said he lost consciousness in a flooded basement. The cause of his death is under investigation.
Record Rainfall and Its Aftermath
Some areas of the city recorded record rainfall. Central Park received 1.8 inches (4.57 cm) of rain, a figure that could surpass the record of 1.6 inches (4.17 cm) set in 1917. LaGuardia Airport received 2 inches (5 cm), 0.9 inches (2 cm) more than the previous record set in 1955, the National Weather Service reported.
New York City was hit by hours of torrential rain, including during the afternoon rush hour. Videos and photos on social media showed water reaching the bumpers of cars and flooding subway stations.
“When you see the amount of water, it's clear that our sewer system wasn't designed to handle that much. "It was raining steadily and evenly," Mayor Eric Adams said.
Danger to basement apartments
Flash floods pose a serious threat to the city's thousands of basement apartments. In 2021, torrential rains led to the deaths of 11 people in such apartments, highlighting the dangers of such phenomena.