Tropical Storm Henri Brings Flash Floods, Canceled Trains to NYC

NEW YORK
Waves pound the beaches of Montauk, N.Y., Sunday, as a severe weather system approaches. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Though Henri was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm before it made landfall in New York, the storm caused flooding and canceled trains overnight from Saturday through Sunday morning.

New York City could expect 4-8 inches of rain, and parts of Long Island could expect 3-5 feet of water.

The city broke its record for most rainfall in an hour in the 150 years since waterfall was measured, with 1.94 inches of rain between 10 and 11 p.m. Saturday night, the New York Post reported. More than four inches fell on the city overnight, and some areas in Brooklyn and the Bronx saw flooding.

The National Weather Service extended the Flash Flood Warning for NYC area until 2:15 a.m. on Sunday morning, warning that heavy rain could lead to dangerous flooding, and urged all residents to stay put unless they were under an evacuation order.

President Joe Biden approved a pre-landfall disaster declaration for 26 counties in New York on Sunday morning, and Governor Andrew Cuomo activated 500 National Guard troops for deployment to Long Island and the Hudson Valley region to help localities with storm response efforts.

A man walks in the sand Dunes as heavy surf rolls onto the south shore of Martha’s Vineyard island, as Tropical Storm Henri approaches the New England coast in West Tisbury, Massachusetts, Sunday. (John Segar via Reuters)

Williamsburg News reported that multiple streets in the neighborhood had flooded, and that FDNY had to rescue people trapped in cars that were stuck in flooded roads. Shomrim were called to homes that were being flooded on the lower floors.

Mayor De Blasio declared a state of emergency in New York City, and outdoor events in Central Park were canceled when it began to thunder and lightning.

All Amtrak service between Boston and New York was canceled Sunday, the New York Daily News reported.

The Long Island Rail Road suspended several stops and some lines entirely over the weekend.

“Passenger train service will not resume until we have checked our infrastructure and determined that it is safe to do so,” the MTA said in a statement.

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smarcus@hamodia.com

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