The death and destruction caused by Storm Ida is a reminder that “the climate crisis is here” and “we must better prepare,” US President Joe Biden has said.
The flooding caused by the storm has killed at least 29 people in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including a two-year-old boy, NBC reports.
States of emergency were declared in New York and New Jersey as the remnants of a hurricane sparked flash floods that forced New York City to suspend its subway services.
Last night, the city suffered its wettest hour on record, with more than 80mm of rain falling in Central Park in the space of 60 minutes.
Storm Ida: New York flooding live updates
That surpassed the previous record of 49mm that was set in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Henri just last month.
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‘Screaming’ motorists trapped in New York floods
Ida was the fifth most powerful storm to hit the US when it made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday as a hurricane, bringing maximum winds of 150mph and causing tens of billions of dollars in damage.
It wreaked havoc along the Gulf Coast as it was downgraded to a tropical storm and later caused deadly flooding and tornadoes in the northeastern US.
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First responders pull residents in a boat following flooding in Mamaroneck, New York
Addressing the nation in a news conference on Thursday, Mr Biden said: “The past few days of Hurricane Ida and the wildfires in the west and the unprecedented flash floods in New York and New Jersey is yet another reminder that these extreme storms and the climate crisis are here.”
“We must better prepare. We need to act,” he said.
“It’s a matter of life and death, and we’re all in it together.”
It comes as 12 people died in New York City, 14 people died in New Jersey, and three people died in Pennsylvania.
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Flash flooding hits New York City
The two-year-old boy, a 50-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman were found dead in a home in Queens, New York, after their basement apartment flooded.
Three other women and two other men also died in separate flooding incidents in the borough, police said.
A further three people were reported to have died in the Queens neighbourhood of Flushing.
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Felix Delapuente, pictured in his flooded basement. He lived near the home where three people died in Queens. Pic: AP
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Police officers stand outside a home in Queens, New York, where three people died including a two-year-old boy. Pic: AP
Another victim was also confirmed by mayor Bill de Blasio, but he did not proe any further details.
In New Jersey, one person was found dead in a vehicle which had become submerged when it was caught in flooding near the Passaic River.
A further four people died in an apartment complex in Elizabeth, New Jersey while there were four fatalities in Somerset County and one in South Plainfield.
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Floodwater slowly recedes in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Lafitte, La., Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.
PIC:AP
The National Weather Service said Wednesday was the first time it had issued a “flash flood emergency” for New York City.
The term is used for exceedingly rare situations in which flash flooding poses a severe threat to human life and causes catastrophic damage – or will do so soon.
“We’re enduring a historic weather event tonight with record breaking rain across the city, brutal flooding and dangerous conditions on our roads,” Mr de Blasio said late on Wednesday.
He urged people to stay off the streets, saying: “If you’re thinking of going outside, don’t. Stay off the subways. Stay off the roads. Don’t drive into these heavy waters. Stay inside.”
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Floodwater cascades into New York subway
A travel ban that barred non-emergency vehicles from streets and highways was in place until 5am local time this morning (10am UK time).
New York City Subway tweeted that anyone trapped between stations should stay put as s posted online showed passengers standing on seats and trains filled with water.
The city’s LaGuardia and JFK airports reported flight disruptions, while New Jersey’s Newark airport limited its operations after initially suspending all flights.
At least one tornado hit New Jersey, with posts on social media showing houses reduced to rubble by strong winds.
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A flooded road in Williamsburg, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City
The extreme weather seemingly failed to deter some people from ordering food deliveries as appeared to show a worker wading through knee-high waters on a bicycle.
The latest wave of devastation caused by the storm comes as the UN warned that weather disasters are striking the world four to five times more often and causing seven times more damage than in the 1970s.
