New York City was battered by sudden flash floods and violent thunderstorms on Wednesday evening, bringing an abrupt end to an unseasonal heatwave that had pushed temperatures to 93°F earlier in the day. The storm unleashed torrential rain and wind gusts of up to 60 mph, flooding parts of Queens and Brooklyn with nearly two inches of rain in just an hour, according to the New York State Mesonet. The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory, urging residents to avoid travel and stay indoors.
Dramatic visuals shared across social media captured the chaos that followed. Roads turned into rivers, subway stations flooded, trees were uprooted and stranded residents climbed onto cars and bus stop benches to escape rapidly rising water levels.
One widely circulated video showed a woman being knocked to the ground by strong winds moments after stepping off an MTA bus in Jamaica, Queens. Other clips showed passengers standing on benches inside flooded buses in Brooklyn, drivers trapped on the roofs of their vehicles along Jackie Robinson Parkway and water cascading down subway stairwells.
Authorities shut down the underpass near 78th Street after multiple vehicles became submerged in several feet of water.
“It was very, very fast and violent. The van almost floated away. It was nuts,” one local told CBS News. Another driver from Queens said the roadway resembled a “swimming pool,” adding that the water rose so quickly he could not open his car doors.
The storm also disrupted public transport across the city. Several subway lines experienced delays or temporary suspensions, including parts of the F and J lines. Service changes were also reported on the E, M and R trains.
NYC Emergency Management urged residents to remain indoors during the storm and warned against walking, swimming or driving through floodwaters.
“Call 911 if you are in immediate danger, trapped by rising water, or see a life-threatening situation,” officials said in an advisory, while also warning people to stay away from windows, electrical equipment and exposed outdoor areas during thunderstorms.
The sudden downpour finally cooled the city after a day of extreme heat, but not before leaving behind widespread disruption and dangerous conditions across several neighbourhoods.
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