New York City: Heavy rains lashed the East Coast of the United States on Thursday, triggering floods in New York City. Amid heavy showers, states of emergency have been declared in New York City and New Jersey.
Normal life in major cities from New York to Washington D C has been thrown out of gear as strong rainstorms lashed the region. Flights were delayed throughout the region. Emergency services were also pressed into action as motorists got trapped in deep water on highways from the Philadelphia area to New York City.
Warning Issues By New York City Government:
Subways and streets were transformed into rivers in New York City. Several visuals of submerged in the city surfaced online. A similar situation has also been reported in Manhattan, where commuters captured video of water pouring over a train on a platform in Grand Central Terminal.
Meanwhile, commuter rail lines into suburban Long Island and New Jersey were suspended in places as tracks were inundated, reported The Associated Press.
Amtrak officials announced Thursday evening that trains between Philadelphia and Wilmington were stopped because of severe storms, causing high water over the tracks. "Once a route is available, anticipate residual delays," company officials posted on X.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other local officials urged people to stay off the roads. They also requested residents in basement apartments to move to higher locations as heavy rainfall was expected to lash the city on Friday afternoon (local time).
In Pennsylvania, National Weather Service warnings of up to three inches of rain in an hour produced flooding in Reading, a city about 96 kilometres northwest of Philadelphia. Due to heavy downpour, schools and libraries were closed early on Thursday.
Flight delays and cancellations were reported at airports in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia on Thursday evening. Tornado warnings were also issued in New Jersey.
More than 20,000 electricity customers were without power as of Thursday evening, reported AP. Heavy rainfall is expected in the region on Thursday night (local time).
