Worst Flooding Since Sandy
The Big Apple got hammered again this weekend as a second nor’easter slammed the region with brutal force. We saw surreal scenes of ocean fish swimming through city streets while a massive tree crushed a car in Queens. The storm left four people injured, including a one-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl who were hit by falling debris in Brooklyn.
Off-duty NYPD Officer Matt Langdon told the New York Post that the flooding in Far Rockaway was the worst he has seen since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. He described seeing horseshoe crabs all the way up to Broad Channel Drive, a sign of just how high the water rose. “I moved here to Far Rockaway when I was 10, and this is the worst it’s been since Sandy,” Langdon said.
Power Outages And Rainfall
Millions of New Yorkers hunkered down as inches of rain and tempestuous winds battered the city for two days. Howard Beach received up to 3.16 inches of rain according to reports, while JFK Airport recorded gusts hitting 56 mph. The punishing winds felled scores of trees, including one that tragically killed NYCHA repairman Leighton Brown, 56, on Saturday.
By Sunday morning, nearly 40,000 people across the Empire State were left without power. Suffolk County alone saw 19,800 customers in the dark. Langdon noted the severity of the water inside his own home, stating, “Our crawl space is flooded up to the joists.” He added, “At its highest, it was coming up to my thigh, it was 2-and-a-half-feet deep at my house. My kids are stuck in the house.”
New Defenses Hold The Line
While outer boroughs struggled, a massive new project saved South Battery Park City from the brunt of the storm. The $221 million South Battery Park City Resiliency Project, which just reopened on September 24, successfully protected the area. The new flood walls and elevated park infrastructure performed precisely as intended, a fact verified by a spokesperson for the Battery Park City Alliance.
“Battery Park City has not been impacted by this weekend’s storm,” the spokesperson told amNewYork. This success shows why we need the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency Master Plan announced in 2024. While residents in Queens and Brooklyn faced water up to their thighs, the new defenses in Manhattan ensured that Wagner Park and the bike path remained dry and safe.
Commutes Return To Normal
By Monday, the worst of the weather was behind us, and the MTA expects to run full rush hour service. Agency spokesperson Joana Flores confirmed that the Long Island Rail Road’s Long Beach Branch would be fully restored after Sunday flooding. The Bx8 bus in the Bronx was the only line that had to detour, and the ban on empty tractor-trailers on bridges was lifted at noon Sunday.
Airports are expected to operate normally, though ferry services faced cancellations on Sunday. The Port Authority stated no weather-related impacts are anticipated for PATH trains on Monday. As we recover, New Yorkers should check for any remaining closures before heading out. “The individual was located alive and well, and no further assistance from the public is needed at this time,” authorities said regarding the injured children.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
