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Storms Bring Floods and Power Failures to Weary N.Y. and N.J. Residents Storms Bring Floods and Power Failures to Weary N.Y. and N.J. Residents
(about 1 hour later)
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In the last 10 days, New York City has seen a blackout in Manhattan, power failures in Brooklyn and Queens, and an oppressive three-day heat wave.In the last 10 days, New York City has seen a blackout in Manhattan, power failures in Brooklyn and Queens, and an oppressive three-day heat wave.
Then, on Monday night, a thunderstorm brought weary New Yorkers fierce winds and heavy rains that wreaked havoc, causing flash floods across the city and suburbs.Then, on Monday night, a thunderstorm brought weary New Yorkers fierce winds and heavy rains that wreaked havoc, causing flash floods across the city and suburbs.
The region moved quickly from sweat-soaked to waterlogged, with areas still flooded on Tuesday morning, especially in New Jersey, where fire departments and emergency agencies cautioned drivers to avoid inundated areas.The region moved quickly from sweat-soaked to waterlogged, with areas still flooded on Tuesday morning, especially in New Jersey, where fire departments and emergency agencies cautioned drivers to avoid inundated areas.
In Hackensack, N.J., the city’s Fire Department said it had rescued multiple people early Tuesday whose cars were stuck in the water.In Hackensack, N.J., the city’s Fire Department said it had rescued multiple people early Tuesday whose cars were stuck in the water.
The winds, and in some cases, hail, left more than 300,000 customers without power in New Jersey, officials said. In a statement on Monday night, Gov. Philip D. Murphy warned that it could be “up to several days” before electricity was fully restored. The winds, and in some cases, hail, left more than 300,000 customers without power in New Jersey, officials said.
As of 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, more than 180,000 customers still did not have electricity, according to utility companies in the state. New Jersey’s governor, Philip D. Murphy, warned that it could take multiple days for electricity to be fully restored. As of 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, more than 180,000 customers still did not have electricity, according to two utility companies in the state.
More than two inches of rain had fallen in Central Park by 8 a.m. on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said. More than three inches of precipitation were measured in parts of Queens, Staten Island, Long Island and New Jersey. In New York City, more than two inches of rain had fallen in Central Park by 8 a.m. on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said. More than three inches of precipitation were measured in parts of Queens, Staten Island, Long Island and New Jersey.
The wind was intense, with some gusts whipping through parts of New Jersey at 70 miles per hour, the Weather Service said.The wind was intense, with some gusts whipping through parts of New Jersey at 70 miles per hour, the Weather Service said.
Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms continued to move across the New York City area on Tuesday morning, and the Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for most of the region that lasted until noon.Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms continued to move across the New York City area on Tuesday morning, and the Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for most of the region that lasted until noon.
On Monday evening, floodwaters blocked parts of the Long Island Expressway and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, officials said. The next morning, around rush hour, more flooding snagged traffic on the Belt Parkway in Queens.On Monday evening, floodwaters blocked parts of the Long Island Expressway and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, officials said. The next morning, around rush hour, more flooding snagged traffic on the Belt Parkway in Queens.
The downpours also turned city streets into rushing streams in parts of the city, particularly in Brooklyn and Staten Island.The downpours also turned city streets into rushing streams in parts of the city, particularly in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
As they stood huddled under umbrellas, awnings and sidewalk scaffolding, New Yorkers were dismayed by the meteorological shift after three sun-soaked, 90-degree-plus days.As they stood huddled under umbrellas, awnings and sidewalk scaffolding, New Yorkers were dismayed by the meteorological shift after three sun-soaked, 90-degree-plus days.
Undeterred, some wrapped plastic bags around their shoes to protect their feet before fording newly formed rivers. Others simply shrugged and waded into knee-deep water.Undeterred, some wrapped plastic bags around their shoes to protect their feet before fording newly formed rivers. Others simply shrugged and waded into knee-deep water.
Then there was Daphnee Youree, 50, who, confronted with severe flooding on the Long Island Expressway, took matters into her own hands.Then there was Daphnee Youree, 50, who, confronted with severe flooding on the Long Island Expressway, took matters into her own hands.
She was driving home to Brooklyn, along with her 11-year-old son and her cat, when traffic came to a halt. There was a giant pool of standing water caused by clogged sewer grates.She was driving home to Brooklyn, along with her 11-year-old son and her cat, when traffic came to a halt. There was a giant pool of standing water caused by clogged sewer grates.
“It was crazy,” she said in an interview on Tuesday. “I’d never seen anything like that on the L.I.E.”“It was crazy,” she said in an interview on Tuesday. “I’d never seen anything like that on the L.I.E.”
Ms. Youree and a group of others pulled over, waiting to see if the water would clear. Someone half-jokingly suggested someone should try clearing the debris.Ms. Youree and a group of others pulled over, waiting to see if the water would clear. Someone half-jokingly suggested someone should try clearing the debris.
“Everybody was just standing around,” she said. “So, I decided to just do it.”“Everybody was just standing around,” she said. “So, I decided to just do it.”
She grabbed a nearby orange traffic cone and trudged through the floodwaters in her Crocs.She grabbed a nearby orange traffic cone and trudged through the floodwaters in her Crocs.
As she worked to clear the mud and wood, ultimately clearing three grates, she said, people cheered her on. A video of her digging away the muck was posted on Twitter, where she was applauded by the City Council speaker, Corey Johnson, as a “Great New Yorker.”As she worked to clear the mud and wood, ultimately clearing three grates, she said, people cheered her on. A video of her digging away the muck was posted on Twitter, where she was applauded by the City Council speaker, Corey Johnson, as a “Great New Yorker.”
Ms. Youree laughed off the praise: “I just wanted to get home,” she said.Ms. Youree laughed off the praise: “I just wanted to get home,” she said.
New Jersey was so rattled by the power failures that utilities had to request outside help, with one, PSE&G, soliciting aid from power companies in Canada.
“Folks obviously want to get back into business, and who can blame them? But this was an incredibly intense storm,” Mr. Murphy said during a radio interview on 1010 WINS. “Lots of trees are down, which is a big source of the outages and a lot of folks still without power.”
The hardest-hit areas were Ocean, Monmouth and Burlington counties in the central part of the state, he said.
In New York City, after Con Edison crews spent Monday working to restore power to the tens of thousands who lost it during the heat wave, more than 6,000 customers were without electricity after the storms, including in the parts of Brooklyn affected by Sunday night’s power failure. Roughly half of them had their power restored by noon, and Con Edison said it expected most of its customers to have power by Tuesday evening.In New York City, after Con Edison crews spent Monday working to restore power to the tens of thousands who lost it during the heat wave, more than 6,000 customers were without electricity after the storms, including in the parts of Brooklyn affected by Sunday night’s power failure. Roughly half of them had their power restored by noon, and Con Edison said it expected most of its customers to have power by Tuesday evening.
Subway stations, never impermeable to the elements, were inundated, with some seeming to sprout waterfalls more reminiscent of amusement parks than mass transit.Subway stations, never impermeable to the elements, were inundated, with some seeming to sprout waterfalls more reminiscent of amusement parks than mass transit.
Nick Corasaniti contributed reporting.