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SEVERAL SUBWAY STATIONS have flooded and major roads have been cut in New York ahead of the expected arrival of Storm Elsa, which has moved up the US East Coast after lashing Florida with wind and rain.
Between 2 and 4 inches of water fell in a series of thunderstorms over the city and surrounding areas yesterday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, “causing extensive flash flooding in certain places”.
Subway passengers posted video footage on Twitter of flooded platforms at the 157th Street station north of Manhattan.
Commuters could be seen waist-deep in the water, crossing a dark pool to reach the station’s platforms.
“Lines 1 and A have really taken a hit, with a lot of flooding in the stations,” Sarah Feinberg, head of the MTA, New York’s public transport authority, said at a press briefing.
Some subway system ya got there. This is the 157th St. 1 line right now. @NYCMayor @BilldeBlasio pic.twitter.com/xyfTAUPPNu
— Paullee 🤠 (@PaulleeWR) July 8, 2021
Some major roads, including in the Bronx, were temporarily closed, disrupting traffic. New York police tweeted footage of motorists being stranded by the water.
The NWS warned of possible new flooding by this morning, with the expected arrival of heavy rains brought by Storm Elsa, which is moving up from Florida.
Despite work to protect the city against flooding since Hurricane Sandy in 2012 – which killed 44 people and paralyzed the American economic capital for days – New York remains very vulnerable to flooding, with such incidents expected to increase because of climate change.
Several officials, including Eric Adams, president of Brooklyn and the favorite for the November mayoral election in New York after winning the Democratic primary this week, called for urgent investments to fortify the city’s infrastructure.
“Extreme weather episodes like this are not going to go away,” warned one of his primary opponents, Kathryn Garcia, who oversaw the water pumping after Hurricane Sandy.
“We must invest in strategies to protect the city,” she said.
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But why would you walk through that water in the subway of all places. Who knows what was washed down with that!
@Richard: I’d rather take my chances climbing through a bin of tissues from the covid ward…
Oh well, let’s add 50c to the price of petrol, shure won’t that stop it?
@edward: chalk it down
Does yer wan in the pink think the train is still going with all that water
@Dawn Harvey: There’s literally a train arriving in the background.
2-4 inches is massive.
@Madra: Listen, could you call round the house and tell that to the wife, I’ve been saying that to her for the last 40 years and she won’t believe me!
@Madra: keep telling your self that buddy!!
@Madra: big softie so ya are
@This time its personable!: ha ha that was the joke. I thrilled someone got it :)
@Madra: ah ya auld dog ya!!!
Elsa? Do you wanna flood a subway?
Doesn’t have the same ring. Sorry, I’ll let it go.
I used that subway station every day until almost 7 years ago. Thank God I got out just in time
@Kevin O’ Brien: you hero. Will there be a movie?
@Roy Dowling: I’m having discussions with myself right now actually. Its going well so far
Day After Tomorrow, its coming..
@Pauline Gallagher: When? Sunday?
OMG I’d lose my life if the subway flooded.
have your say