NEW YORK – New York City was drenched by rainfall – the remnants of Ophelia – Friday, causing major flooding and disrupting roads, subways and other mass transit in the area.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency across New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley as Friday’s strong storm caused flooding.
Hochul called the flooding levels “historic,” saying New York could set a new single day record.
Before noon, more than five inches of rain had fallen in Central Park Friday.
She pleaded with New Yorkers to “please stay home” during the storm, reminding people thinking about driving the greatest loss of life comes when people think they can drive through what appear to be standing waters.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams also asked for city residents to stay home or shelter in place temporarily during the worst of the storm.
CBS News New York and the First Alert Weather Team brought you live, continuing coverage of the storm throughout the day.
Mayor Adams speaks about storm response
Friday evening, Adams touted his administration’s response to the flooding, and warnings given ahead of time. He spoke with CBS New York’s Maurice DuBois and Kristine Johnson.
Adams said there were 15 rescues from cars and three rescues from basement apartments.
“It was this type of day,” Adams said, while holding up a large rain boot. “Zero serious injuries and zero deaths with our city. We managed this crisis in a very, very real way, and I want to just thank New Yorkers and our civil servants who did the job.”
Adams said that the Prospect Park area was one of the hardest hit locations. At Prospect Park, the lake overflowed and created a miniature river, with water gushing steadily into the street.
Questions have been raised about when and how New Yorkers were notified about the storm. Adams pushed back against the idea that not enough was said and done by the city beforehand.
Adams said the NotifyNYC, a free emergency messaging service he encourages New Yorkers to sign up for, sent out a notification about the incoming storm Thursday afternoon. He also praised media coverage.
“I have to take my hat off to you. You were broadcasting this storm that was coming. One would have to be under a rock that didn’t know storms were coming to New York City. And we continue to use social media, all forms of notification,” Adams said.
DuBois asked what his advice was for New Yorkers Friday night.
“Listen, have a good meal at home. You know, you can rekindle your romance, listen to the rain fall, stay home with the family. Let’s get off the streets and let the first responders do their job,” Adams said.
NYC residents asked to shelter in place temporarily
Adams placed the city under a state of emergency earlier Friday.
“I want to say to all New Yorkers, this is time for heightened alertness and extreme caution. If you are home, stay home. If you are at work or school, shelter in place for now,” Adams said. “Some of our subways are flooded, and it’s extremely difficult to move around the city.”
He called on New Yorkers to look out for one another, however.
“This is a time for caution, but it is also a time for community,” he said. “Check on neighbors. Do whatever is possible to unclog drain areas to allow the water to flow freely. You would be surprised how, if we remove leaves and other trash from those areas, it would really assist in getting water off our streets. Check on your friends, your relatives, and especially those who are most vulnerable, such as the elderly and individuals with health conditions.”
Hochul urged extreme caution to anyone thinking of driving in the rain.
“I will say this: If people decide to venture out in a vehicle, they do so at their own peril, because even six inches of rain, one foot of rain may look pretty innocuous, it’s safe, but that is a condition where your vehicle can be swept away. We lose more lives of people during flooding events, of which we’ve had many, especially this summer in the city and the Hudson Valley in particular. The reason people lose their lives in a flooding event, more often than not, is they’re swept away in their vehicle,” Hochul said. “So this is a choice people make. We encourage them not to decide to do that. Please stay home, be safe.”
Authorities explained why the flooding was so significant, especially in Brooklyn Friday morning.
“The storm picked up significantly soon after 7 a.m., and I think New Yorkers should be aware that between 8 and 9 a.m. the Brooklyn Navy Yard received 2.58 inches of rain in one hour,” DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala said. “Our sewer system was designed for 1.75 inches per hour. And so, it’s no surprise, unfortunately as a result, that that part of Brooklyn, and a couple of other, particularly, parts of Brooklyn, have borne the brunt of this.”
Prospect Park lake overflows
Brooklyn got hit particularly hard Friday morning, although there were many reports of damage and flooding throughout New York City.
Prospect Park lake overflowed, creating a shocking scene for many in the area as a small river formed in the street, rushing into nearby intersections.
“You can see the debris from the lake water as it made its way down,” CBS New York’s Doug Williams reported. “It extends all the way into Ocean Parkway… it’s legitimately shocking to see.”
Williams called it basically a “river of water,” reporting that it had been flowing that way nearly all day.
The lake is 55 acres.
“The lake has been known, when it gets heavy rainfall, to overflow,” Williams reported. “But people here, all day, have been trying to navigate it, almost shocked when they arrived.”
Williams described it as “basically rapids, and water coming down like a river.”
“We’ve seen people acting like they’ve never seen anything like it,” Williams reported. “It is certainly shocking to see.”
Major flooding in Rosedale, Queens
Roads were flooded at 147th Avenue in Rosedale.
CBS New York’s Jennifer Bisram reported a driver was forced to abandon her vehicle due to rising waters.
“That’s kind of the story around here – lots of flooded roads, lots of flooded basements,” Bisram reported.
She said residents were using hoses to drain water from basements.
Video shows massive flooding across the city
Around 8:30 a.m., emergency responders were on the scene of a partial roof collapse at a warehouse on Lexington Avenue between Classon and Franklin Avenues. Fortunately all workers at the warehouse were accounted for, according to the FDNY.
In Windsor Terrace, neighbors said a tenant living in a basement apartment along Sherman Avenue managed to get out as his apartment began to flood.
Officials said at least six basement apartments flooded, and there were “successful rescues” at each.
“We have not had any fatalities today. We have had a number of calls for basements, people trapped in cars,” FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said.
Heavy rain brought flooding conditions at Walton Street between Union and Harrison Avenues. Water had overtaken the sidewalk and appeared to partially flood parked cars there.
Significant flooding was reported in southern Brooklyn. Video posted to X, formerly Twitter, also showed flooding near Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street.
At Smith and Ninth Street, there was major flooding.
“My team & I are aware of widespread flooding & dangerous conditions across [Brooklyn]. Like many [New Yorkers], we’ve spent our mornings stranded on subways & buses, but we’re in communication [with] the offices of the mayor & governor & monitoring where conditions are worst,” Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso wrote on X.
Mass transit, roads, and airports all disrupted due to flooding
The floods, damage and impact weren’t limited to just Brooklyn, of course.
The FDR was closed in both directions at Delancey Street in Manhattan due to flooding.
The Belt Parkway was closed in both directions at Exit 6, Cropsey Avenue, the NYPD said.
There were extensive disruptions to subway and other mass transit service.
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Video posted to social media from across the area was shocking. Flooded intersections were spotted in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
The Prospect Park Expressway experienced significant flooding, with at least one car stalled out.
The Wildlife Conservation Society closed the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and New York Aquarium due to the emergency.
New York City schools report no major flooding concerns
Schools Chancellor David Banks said no major problems were reported at New York City public schools, and that all of them were open.
“We do have a portion of our schools, approximately 150 out of the more than 1,400 schools that we have, that have in fact taken on some water, has presented some challenge, but nothing has impacted our ability to safely educate our students in any of those schools,” Banks said. “Our buses are prepositioned for dismissal. We’ve been in touch with all of our vendors, and they’re prepositioned means that they are staging early in order to have enough time to get our children home. These are high-axle vehicles, and they’ll be able to navigate any water in the roadways.”
Banks said going fully remote is “always the last option.”
“Our kids needs to be in school. This is also where they get their healthy meals as well,” Banks said. “Whenever we make a decision to close schools, it is a major, major disruption. So it is really only used as a last resort. And I think in this case, while this was a tough day in terms of the rain, it certainly did not put, our kids are not in danger. All of our schools are open. Our teachers are in school, our kids are in school, and doing well.”
Stay with us as we continue to cover this weather emergency.
