On Friday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency, as heavy rainfall pounded the streets of New York City. As storm drains clogged, basements apartments flooded and roads became rivers in what seemed to be the blink of an eye. While the city had anticipated heavy rains, the flooding escalated quickly, causing immense property damage, stranding drivers in the middle of the road, and causing mayhem as parents rushed to get their kids from schools.
While every New York City borough was affected to some degree, the flooding hit certain boroughs harder than others. Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan seem to have been affected the most. In those dense, urban environments, flash flooding quickly causes mayhem, as cars were stuck in water up above their bumpers in some cases. Drivers were forced to get out and slog through the dirty, knee-high water. Even SUVs, with their elevated ride heights and all-wheel drive traction, managed to get stuck in many parts of the city, stranding their passengers.
But it wasn’t just the roadways that became treacherous. Even people who stayed home suffered car damage, as many trees were uprooted and landed on cars. Certain subway terminals were also flooded and even airports were affected. John F. Kennedy Airport saw delays and Laguardia had to temporarily close Terminal A. What seemed like just another storm quickly threw a wrench into the lives of countless New Yorkers.
However, transportation struggles are the least of many New Yorkers’ worries. Many basement apartments flooded, which not only forced people out of their homes but gave many homeowners horrifying reminders of the past. People have died due to basement apartments flooding in New York City in previous storms, such as Hurricane Ida.
In a cosmic bit of comic relief, the flooding caused a sea lion to escape from the Central Park Zoo. Water levels in Sally the sea lion’s enclosure rose to the point where she was able to free herself and explore a bit. She never left the zoo, and was safely under watch by zoo employees, but she still managed to get herself a little extra freedom due to the flooding. Shortly after her stroll, though, she returned to her enclosure on her own. Now that the flooding has alleviated, Sally and the rest of the animals are safely back in their exhibits.
Sea lion shenanigans aside, this weekend’s flooding has been a disaster for so many New Yorkers. Thankfully, it never reached the fatal levels of previous storms but so many New Yorkers still suffered immense car and property damage.
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