On Staten Island, Flood Emergency Shelters Safe Overnight Locations Opened Amid Flash Flood Threat – CM Wong Tours Flooded Areas: UPDATED

July 28, 2026 New York City 0 Environment, Morality and Ethics, Science and Technology, SI Communities, Staten Island Families, Staten Island News, Staten Islander Exclusive

Mayor Mamdani Opens 51 Safe Overnight Locations Ahead of Heavy Rain and Flash Flood Threat

City executing full emergency response, clearing catch basins, inspecting flood-prone neighborhoods and contacting residents in basement apartments

Specialized emergency teams, including Downed Tree Task Force and Tow Truck Task Force, on standby

Editor’s note: Staten Island has three locations selected as registered safe haven locations. If your home is flooded, you can go there to be sheltered from the storm. These are located at area schools, and will act as shelters during the storm expected tonight into tomorrow. New Yorkers are urged to do everything they can to stay safe, and residents can assist when they see clogged storm drains and sewer caps that are not draining properly, by reporting these incidents to 311 for remediation. See the screenshot below for highlighted locations on Staten Island:

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NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) today urged New Yorkers to prepare for waves of heavy rain expected Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Ahead of potential life-threatening flash flooding overnight, the City is opening 51 safe overnight locations at New York City Public Schools across the five boroughs. The locations will open at 8 p.m. Tuesday and remain available while dangerous conditions persist. New Yorkers can find the nearest safe overnight location by calling 311 or visiting on.nyc.gov/SafeLocations. Service animals and pets are welcome.

The City is urging New Yorkers to take the following precautions:

Limit travel during periods of heavy rain. If you must travel, use caution and never walk or drive through floodwaters. Take public transit whenever possible.
If you live in a basement apartment, ground-floor home or another area that has flooded before, make a plan now. Know where you will go if your home begins to flood, whether that’s a neighbor’s apartment on a higher floor, a nearby public building or the home of a friend or family member. Safe overnight locations are available in every borough by calling 311 or visiting on.nyc.gov/SafeLocations. Sign up for basement alerts at on.nyc.gov/basements.
Prepare a Go Bag with medications, a flashlight, batteries, a portable phone charger, important documents in waterproof bags and other essentials.
During high winds, stay indoors whenever possible, avoid downed power lines and trees and secure outdoor furniture, trash bins and other loose items.
Call 911 if you are in immediate danger or trapped by rising water.
Sign up for Notify NYC emergency alerts by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692.
Report downed trees, blocked catch basins and other non-emergency hazards to 311.
Visit http://nyc.gov/beready for emergency preparedness guidance.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe begins before the storm arrives. Tonight’s forecast calls for dangerous conditions, especially for New Yorkers living in a basement apartments and neighborhoods that have flooded before,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Our City has been preparing across all five boroughs by clearing catch basins, inspecting flood-prone streets and opening 51 safe overnight locations where people can spend the night out of harm’s way. I urge New Yorkers to take this storm seriously: make a plan, sign up for emergency alerts and check in on your neighbors.”

“Tonight’s storm will not impact every neighborhood the same way, but any community that experiences repeated rounds of heavy rain could see dangerous, life-threatening flash flooding,” said NYCEM Commissioner Christina Farrell. “Conditions can change quickly overnight, so now is the time to make a plan. If you live in a flood-prone area or are concerned about your safety, take advantage of one of the City’s Safe Locations during severe weather.”

“Student and family safety is always our top priority, and we are proud to open our schools in partnership with the Mamdani administration and NYC Emergency Management to ensure our school communities have the resources they need during tonight’s severe weather,” said Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels. “We encourage any family who feels unsafe to take advantage of these safe locations. We will continue to closely monitor conditions overnight and will communicate promptly with families and staff about any impact to summer operations.”

The NWS has issued a Flood Watch for New York City from 2 p.m. Tuesday through 8 p.m. Wednesday. Forecasts call for 1.5 to 4 inches of rain citywide, with localized totals up to 5 inches. Rainfall rates could reach 1 to 2 inches per hour during the heaviest periods, increasing the risk of flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas and locations with poor drainage.

New Yorkers should continue to monitor weather conditions and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions overnight. Sign up for Notify NYC alerts by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 or visiting nyc.gov/notifynyc. For more preparedness guidance, visit nyc.gov/beready.

Phil Wong Tours Flood-Damaged Neighborhoods Following Saturday’s Severe Storm

Wong Meets with Residents and Business Owners Across District 30, Calls for Stronger Flood Mitigation Measures

Queens, NY — Council Member Phil Wong spent both Saturday and Sunday touring neighborhoods across Council District 30 to assess the damage caused by Saturday’s severe storm, meeting with residents and business owners impacted by widespread flooding and hearing firsthand about the challenges they faced.

Throughout the weekend, Wong visited multiple flood-prone locations across Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgewood, Elmhurst, and Rego Park, documenting damage, speaking with affected residents, and identifying locations where additional City action is urgently needed.

“Over the last two days, I’ve met with families and business owners who suffered significant damage from this storm,” said Wong. “Many have flooded before and are frustrated that the same problems continue year after year. The City needs to stop reacting after every storm and start investing in the infrastructure improvements our neighborhoods have been asking for.”

Following the tour, Wong renewed his call for a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy, including additional catch basins in flood-prone areas, sewer capacity upgrades, more aggressive catch basin cleaning and maintenance, and stronger enforcement to ensure homeowners and utility companies do not remove or pave over green space that naturally absorbs stormwater and reduces runoff.

Wong also said his office will continue pressing the Department of Environmental Protection to establish a funding program to help homeowners install backwater valves, which can prevent sewage from backing up into homes during major storms. In addition, he called on the City to finally address the longstanding flooding problems affecting private streets, community driveways, and alleyways that repeatedly become impassable during heavy rain.

“Today I visited more locations across our district to assess the damage from Saturday’s storm and speak directly with affected residents and business owners,” added Wong. “The flooding and destruction we saw is unacceptable. The City has to do more to address our aging infrastructure and chronic flooding problems. This can’t continue.”

Wong encouraged residents who experienced damage to continue reporting it to NYC through the City’s damage reporting portal and to contact his office with photos, locations, and 311 complaint numbers so his staff can assist in advocating for repairs and, where appropriate, help residents navigate the Comptroller’s claims process.