[Flooding image. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

New York City declared a state of emergency because of the huge flood that struck the city on September 29th.

Approximately 8 inches of rain fell in some areas, breaking the record set by the destructive Hurricane Ida in 2021.

Faced with the threat of widespread flooding, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the state of emergency to cover New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley.

Describing the weather event as “very challenging,” Hochul urged New Yorkers to heed the warning and to stay indoors.

The impact extended to New Jersey, which also declared a state of emergency as flooding disrupted normal life.

As the water levels rose rapidly, buildings and cars became submerged, leading to the rescue of many stranded individuals, particularly in traffic jams.

According to the New York City Fire Department, the firefighters rescued people from six flooded basements.

Additionally, flooding disrupted 150 out of the city’s 1,400 schools, prompting NYC School Chancellor David Banks to monitor the situation for student safety.

Fortunately, there were no reported injuries or fatalities resulting from the flooding.

Despite New York’s history of overcoming storms like Hurricane Ida, the event revealed a lack of preparedness among residents.

Community leaders are now calling for a reevaluation of the city’s infrastructure to better handle future natural disasters, considering the potential increase in such events due to climate change.

New York City’s Chief Climate Officer, Rohit Aggarwala, attributed the flooding to climate change and changing weather patterns.

Expressing concern, Aggarwala emphasized that the city’s climate response lags behind the pace of climate change, predicting more severe consequences in the future.

The unique design of New York City’s sewage system, initially equipped to handle 1.75 inches per hour, struggled as more than 2.5 inches of rain flooded Brooklyn Navy Yard in just one hour.

The subway system bore the brunt of the flooding, leading to widespread suspensions and service disruptions.

Same as for the train stations, many were delayed or closed, prompting the city to deploy additional buses.

All city airports were temporarily closed, causing numerous flight delays.

Residential areas suffered damages, with one resident, Keyll Hayes, estimating a minimum cost of $25,000 for repairs to her bar and kitchen.

While the rain eased later on Friday night, services resumed for subways and flights.

Despite Kathy Hochul expressing concern, she emphasized, "My biggest concern right now is that people will see a lull in the rain and go out in their vehicle.”