Two people have died in separate but similar incidents in New York City, according to NBC News reports, as catastrophic heavy rains and coastal flooding battered the area.
What's happening?
On Thursday, Oct. 30, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for a large portion of the City's five boroughs, according to Gothamist.
In addition to heavy rain, coastal flooding, and strong winds, the boroughs' flood-prone subway system was strained.
Local news outlet WPIX shared footage of submerged cars and Manhattanites trudging through knee-deep floodwaters near Battery Park.
Late in the day, news broke that two New York City residents had died in weather-related incidents.
According to NBC, police in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn responded to reports of an individual trapped in a basement at "around 4:25 p.m." Although no further details were reported, that person did not survive the flooding.
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Separately, police in Manhattan attempted to rescue a 43-year-old man from a boiler room at "around 4:44 p.m." Unfortunately, the man was pronounced dead.
Why is this important?
Alarmingly, the incidents were not the first of their kind in recent years — in 2021, 11 people were "found dead in basements" due to inundation caused by the remains of Hurricane Ida.
Housing in New York City is difficult to secure, and basement apartments are not uncommon throughout the five boroughs.
At the same time, regional coastal flooding is occurring more frequently and becoming more severe, per NYC.gov, which indicated that rising temperatures are "causing more frequent and intense flooding from coastal storms and sea level rise" in the area.
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Yes 👍 New York City's worsening flooding problem is unfortunately not unique; extreme weather is manifesting in myriad forms around the world. Extreme weather is not — as the name might imply — a phrase meaning "bad weather" or "dangerous weather."
Extreme weather is a specific phenomenon caused by rising temperatures and warmer seas. As temperatures rise and seas warm, these factors supercharge weather events like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.
When they occur, they're less predictable, more destructive, and deadlier.
After the rain stopped, DEP Commissioner Rit Aggarwala addressed the increase in "crazy rainstorms that our infrastructure was never designed to deal with," citing higher average temperatures as the cause.
"The four most intense storms in New York City's history have taken place in the last four years," Aggarwala added. "Yesterday, what caused all the flooding is the fact that we had 1 inch of rain in 10 minutes."
What's being done about it?
Preparedness and knowledge are critical in the face of extreme weather; ahead of Thursday's storm, the City's Department of Environmental Protection released a Flash Flood Plan, per CBS.
On Oct. 18, the New York Times published an in-depth look at coastal flooding in the City, noting that all five boroughs need immediate adaptation efforts to protect residents.
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