Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday after record-breaking rainfall — remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia — resulted in sewage-filled floodwater filling the streets of New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley.
New York City also experienced flash flood warnings, and officials urged that people not travel through the storm. The flooding was the worst the city had seen since Hurricane Ida, per the Washington Post.
“Overall, as we know, this changing weather pattern is the result of climate change,” Rohit Aggarwala, New York City’s Chief Climate Officer said in a Friday morning news conference, per ABC News. “And the sad reality is our climate is changing faster than our infrastructure can respond.”
Subway lines shut down, and water literally burst through the walls of the underground system. A terminal at LaGuardia International Airport had to temporarily close after being filled with water that reached travelers’ ankles. And dozens of people on the streets and in basements required rescues, per ABC News.
Much of the floodwater has receded as of Friday night.
