Closing Summary
It is now 6pm in New York City where heavy rainfall and intense flooding swept through numerous neighborhoods, leaving several million residents under flood warnings. Here is a wrap up of the day’s key events from the city and beyond:
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency across New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley amid the heavy downpour currently faced by residents of the Greater New York City area. “It is critical that all New Yorkers take all necessary precautions and avoid flooded roads, which are some of the most dangerous places during flash floods,” she said.
The National Weather Service in New York has announced that it has “multiple reports of water rescues and motorists” stranded in flood waters in Nassau county. “Do not travel this evening if you do not need to do so. This area of heavy rain is moving into western Suffolk county with flooding likely to begin shortly,” it warned.
New York senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have written a letter to FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell urging the Federal Emergency Mangement Agency to “stand ready, if requested” amid the heavy flooding. They also urged FEMA to make assistance available through a disaster declaration “as expeditiously as possible.”
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has announced a state of emergency as a result of the heavy rainfall sweeping over the state. “Throughout the state, especially in the north and central regions, we are experiencing heavy rainfalls resulting in hazardous conditions, and the rainfall is expected to accelerate in many parts of the state over the next several hours,” said Murphy.
The National Weather Service reports that Friday is the wettest day on record at John F Kennedy International airport. The international travel hub has experienced over 7 inches of rain since Friday 12pm ET.
“If anyone was caught off guard,” they had to have been living “under a rock,” New York City mayor Eric Adams is reported saying in response to criticisms of slow communication amid Friday’s flooding. During a press conference on Friday, Adams defended his response speed, saying, “All of the necessary precautions were taken.”
Hoboken mayor Ravi Bhalla has declared a state of emergency for Hoboken in response to the heavy rain and flooding that has been impacting most of the city. “My utmost priority, and that of the Office of Emergency Management is the life, health, and safety of our residents,” said Bhalla.
The MTA announced that service across its network has been “severely disrupted due to this extreme rainfall.” “If you must head out, use extra caution and check the service status for your line at http://mta.info before you go. Stay safe, New York,” it cautioned.
LaGuardia Airport announced that all access to Terminal A had closed earlier this morning. The airport added that it is experiencing delays as a result of the weather conditions and warned travelers to avoid the area until further notice.
That’s it from me, Maya Yang, as we wrap up the blog for today. Thank you for following along.
Here are more photos coming through the newswires of the heavy rainfall and flooding across the Great New York City area:
Special Operations Unit rescue personnel with the Westchester County Emergency Services search for victims trapped in heavy flooding in the New York City suburb of Mamaroneck, New York, U.S., September 29, 2023. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
Special Operations Unit rescue personnel with the Westchester County Emergency Services use rafts as they check buildings for victims trapped in heavy flooding in the New York City suburb of Mamaroneck, New York, U.S., September 29, 2023. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
A man carries a dog in a bag as he walks through heavy flooding in the New York City suburb of Mamaroneck, New York, U.S., September 29, 2023. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
