Massive Flooding In NYC: Sea Lions Escape Underwater Central Park Zoo, Buses Filled With Water, Evening Commute Impossible

Several weeks ago, severe flooding came through parts of New York City from Hurricane Ophelia. It was re-categorized as a post-tropical cyclone before reaching the City, and the damage done from this storm was incredible.

According to some reports, thirty days of rainfall fell in just eight hours here, overwhelming critical infrastructure, including storm drains, subways, and transportation systems in general. According to NOAA, because of ocean conditions which are particularly active for storms, this cyclone remained over NYC for twelve hours, dumping inches of rain on the area.

Residents of the City were seen jumping into shoulder-deep water in an attempt to go into the subway system, attempting to take the buses home during the evening rush, and sloshing through hip-deep water in Central Park.

Several areas suffered major flooding, including Floyd Bennett Field, which was being considered as a migrant tent community, Central Park itself, and large parts of Brooklyn and Queens. Residents of basement apartments were most at risk, and during the state of emergency, they were encouraged to seek shelter on higher ground.

While the storm has moved on, it has once again highlighted an very high need for repairs and infrastructure replacement and upgrading to be better prepared for the next storm that will hit the area. At this point, it seems a matter of when rather than whether.

Banner Image: NYC Flooding cover. Image Credit – Staten Islander News.

Staten Islander News Service Staff Writer

This byline indicates that this article was penned by a member/members of the Staten Islander News Organization office team. Our staff writers are the backbone of our newspaper, performing all sorts of important tasks like conducting interviews, investigating leads, besides writing the news stories you see.