On Friday, New York’s subway system and airports were partially shut down as a result of heavy rains that fell overnight in the northeastern United States.
In social media posts, travellers were shown wading through water that was well beyond the tops of their shoes, prompting LaGuardia Airport to close one of its terminals.
People were encouraged not to go outside by Mayor Eric Adams since the streets were closed and the subway stations were inundated.
“If you are home, stay home. If you are at work or school, shelter in place for now, some of our subways are flooded and it’s extremely difficult to move around the city,” he said.
Images from all throughout New York revealed congested traffic, cars partially immersed in water, and several major roadways entirely closed.
Inundated business owners worked to preserve their goods and drive the water back into the streets.
Multiple lines in Brooklyn were closed as a result of the extensive New York subway system being impacted.
Ahmed Abdou, a 50-year-old cab driver who is originally from Egypt, criticized officials for their inability to deal with what he claimed was a common occurrence.
“The subway in the city is terrible,” he said. “All the storms, they come every year at the same time. We should anticipate it better.”
But Rohit Aggarwala Overall, the city’s Environmental Protection Commissioner, said global warming had advanced faster than the city could act.
“This changing weather pattern is the result of climate change. And the sad reality is our climate is changing faster than our infrastructure can respond,” Overall said.
