Torrential downpours across north-eastern parts of the US caused significant flooding and disruption last Friday. New York City was particularly badly affected, with flash flooding reported across many of the city’s subway stations and streets. One of the three terminals at LaGuardia airport was forced to close temporarily, and a sea lion briefly escaped from its enclosure at the Central Park zoo. The city’s governor, Kathy Hochul, declared a state of emergency, describing the situation as “life-threatening”, with millions of people put under flood watches and flash-flood warnings. No deaths or injuries have been reported.
A number of locations reported new record daily rainfall totals, with 226mm recorded at JFK airport and 150mm in Central Park since last Thursday. It was the wettest day ever recorded at JFK airport, with records dating back to 1948. The National Weather Service also confirmed that it had been the wettest September for New York City in 140 years.
