Brooklyn Residents Face Flooding

BROOKLYN, NY — Residents at the intersection of Ralph Avenue and Bainbridge Street in Bed-Stuy said Wednesday’s storm left them with feet of standing water for hours.

According to weather data, some parts of the city saw half an inch of rain in just five minutes — the equivalent of a 6‑inch‑per‑hour storm.

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"Such an intense downpour can easily overwhelm the city’s sewers, which were designed to handle about 1.5 to 1.75 inches per hour," Rob Wolejsza, press secretary of the NYC Environmental Protection, said.

Wolejsza told Patch the DEP will investigate the location to determine whether any additional infrastructure issues need to be addressed, Wolejsza said.

Council member Chi Ossé pointed to city investments in catch basin replacements and stormwater infrastructure projects and said Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights should receive priority in future upgrades.

“In just one hour, our pipes failed, and our streets became rivers,” Ossé said. “Infrastructure work is hard, but the hardest work is exactly what our constituents deserve.”