Storm Kills Two in New Jersey, Floods NYC Subway as Northeast Lashed by Torrential Rain
Two people lost their lives in New Jersey after their car was swept away by rising floodwaters during a powerful storm that battered the US Northeast overnight. The severe weather triggered widespread flooding across New Jersey and New York, inundating roads and sending torrents of water into New York City subway stations, causing major disruptions.
The victims were found in a vehicle that had been carried into a brook at the height of the storm. Emergency responders reached the scene quickly, but both individuals were pronounced dead.
In New York, the rainfall overwhelmed the city’s aging sewer system, leading to water gushing into subway tunnels and stations. Videos showed geysers erupting from manholes, a result of pressure from the backed-up drainage system.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) chief Janno Lieber said the rain exposed ongoing weaknesses in the infrastructure, adding that they’ve been working with the city to upgrade stormwater handling in vulnerable areas.
Despite efforts to waterproof parts of the system in recent years, the volume of rain exceeded its capacity. “Imagine trying to fit two litres of water into a one-litre bottle — there will be overflow,” explained Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala.
Full subway and rail service was restored by the next day thanks to overnight emergency work. The downpour also led to flash flooding in parts of Pennsylvania and marked Central Park’s second-highest one-hour rainfall on record, just behind 2021’s Hurricane Ida.
Governor Phil Murphy urged residents to stay alert as extreme weather patterns continue to intensify in the region.
