Remnants of Hurricane Ida As underground apartments suddenly filled with water, highways and boulevards became rivers, flooding cars, and at least nine people in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania caused historic rains due to flooding.
According to reports, at least nine people have died in New York City and New Jersey. A New York City police spokesperson said that a total of 8 people were trapped in the flooded basement and died. Officials outside of Philadelphia reported “multiple deaths,” saying they did not immediately provide more details.
Scientists warn that with man-made global warming, catastrophic floods may become more common, flooding into subway tunnels in New York City.
The massive floods along the Schuylkill River inundated highways in the Philadelphia area, flooded cars, and disrupted commuter rail services. In a tweet, city officials predicted a “historic flood” on Thursday as the river level continues to rise.
The remnants of Hurricane Ida hit the east coast of the United States with floods and strong winds
The rain ended at dawn on Thursday, and rescuers were looking for more trapped people and preparing for the possibility of finding more dead bodies.
When New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency in New York City on Wednesday night, he said: “Tonight we are experiencing a historic weather event. The whole city has record-breaking rainfall and flooding. Flooding and road danger.”
The subway stations and tracks were flooded to the point that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority suspended all services. A video posted online shows subway passengers standing on the seats of cars filled with water.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority chief executive Janno Lieber said that at least 17 trains were stranded between stations overnight. He told NY1 TV on Thursday that all drivers had been evacuated safely.
Connecticut State Police is investigating a report of a person missing from the Woodbury flood.
According to reports, at least one person died in New Jersey because Passaic Mayor Hector Lora said a 70-year-old man was washed away.
“His family was rescued and they were all in the same car. Unfortunately, the car was flooded and the firefighters who were dragged under the car were unable to rescue him,” Lola told WCBS-TV.
The authorities are trying to confirm that at least one other person has died in the city.
Strong winds and heavy rain caused the roof of the United States Postal Service Building in New Jersey to collapse and threatened to flood a dam in Pennsylvania.
On Thursday, September 2, 2021, vehicles were submerged in Philadelphia during the flood, after heavy rain and strong winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ida that hit the area.
(AP Photo/Matlock)
In New York, the rain stopped traffic in most parts of this bustling city. Officials banned everyone except emergency vehicles from traveling until early Thursday. Both Manhattan’s Roosevelt Avenue and Bronx River Park Avenue were flooded. Rubbish floats on the street in the water. On Thursday morning, some subway and rail services have been restored.
In other deaths reported by New York City, a 48-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man were found dead in different residences, and a 43-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man were both found at home After death. The cause of death and identification have yet to be determined.
The Office of the National Weather Service in New York issued the first flash flood emergency in the area on Wednesday night, with warnings sent only in the most dangerous situations.
On August 22, the City of Waverley, Tennessee, announced an emergency. Rains in one day broke the state’s record. Floods occurred in the town and surrounding counties, resulting in 20 deaths.
That was the beginning of a fatal two weeks nationwide. Wildfires are threatening Lake Tahoe. Tropical Storm Henry hit the northeast, and Ida hit Louisiana, becoming the fifth-strongest storm to hit the continental United States, causing 1 million people to lose power, which may last for several weeks.
Rescue was carried out throughout New York City, because 8.8 million people in New York City suffered much more severe flooding than Henry.
The National Weather Service recorded 3.15 inches (8.91 cm) of rainfall in New York’s Central Park within one hour on Wednesday night, far exceeding the 1.94 inches (4.92 cm) of rainfall in Henry’s one-hour period on the night of August 21. It was considered to be the most recorded in the history of the park.
In neighboring New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency in all 21 counties, urging people to stay away from flooded roads. Meteorologists warn that the river may not rise for a few more days, which increases the possibility of flooding.
“There are many injuries in New Jersey,” Murphy said in an ABC’s “Good Morning America” program on Thursday, discussing the damage caused by flooding in the northern part of the state and tornadoes in the southern part of the state.
Newark International Airport was closed Wednesday night because the video showed water flowing through the terminal building. On Thursday morning, the airport allowed limited flights. Officials said that so far, 370 flights have been cancelled.
Amtrak service between Philadelphia and Boston was cancelled.
At least 220,000 customers in the region have lost power, most of which occurred in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. On Thursday morning, more than 35,000 customers lost power in New York City, Long Island and its northern suburbs.
Southern New England woke up on Thursday to find flooded roads, commuting delays and continuous flash flood warnings. A section of Highway 24 in southeastern Massachusetts was closed due to water accumulation on the highway, while in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, a highway collapsed under the impact of heavy rain.
Parts of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, killed 2,200 people after a dam collapsed in 1889, and parts of the city were evacuated after the water level of a dam near the city reached dangerous levels on Wednesday. An official said late Wednesday that the water level near the dam was falling.
The Atlantic hurricane season is far from over. Tropical Storm Larry is strengthening and moving quickly westward after forming on the coast of Africa early on Wednesday. Forecasters predict that by Tuesday, the wind speed will rapidly increase to 125 mph (201 km/h), but still far away from land.
© 2021 Canadian Press
