At Least 12 Dead After Hurricane Ida Remnants Flood NYC

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NEW YORK CITY — An unprecedented deluge from the remnants of Hurricane Ida claimed at least 12 lives, flooded the city's subways, buses and streets and sent New Yorkers scrambling for dry ground.

New York City is under a state of emergency after the tropical weather system blew through on a record-breaking and disastrous Wednesday night, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced.

“Even the morning after we’re still uncovering the true depth of the loss, the human loss,” she said at a news conference Thursday morning.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said at least nine New Yorkers died in the storm.

"We saw a horrifying storm last night, unlike anything we have seen before,” he said.

Ida, even in a weakened state, dumped massive amounts of rain across the city.

Midtown saw 7.49 inches while Staten Island recorded 8.92 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Central Park shattered its record for the most rain that fell in an hour, with 3.15 inches. It was the second time in 10 days the park saw its single-hour rainfall record broken.

The rainfall prompted the National Weather Service to issue its first flash flood emergency in New York City's history — a stark warning of "life threatening" conditions.

The warning proved tragically true.

Preliminary rainfall totals across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast associated with Ida. A swath of 3-8" fell with isolated 9-10" totals led to numerous and widespread flash flooding Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/6CZRLlkNKW
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) September 2, 2021

NYPD reported at least 12 died in the storm, most from flood conditions.

A 2-year-old boy in Woodside was among the victims. Officers found the boy dead inside a home along with a man, 50, and woman, 48. The trio were reportedly family members trapped in a flooded basement unit, according to the NYPD.

The area saw major flooding, including one apartment building where water levels rose to nearly waist height, a video posted to Twitter showed.

All but one other death occurred in Queens.

"Our hearts ache for the lives lost in last night’s storm," de Blasio said in a statement. "Please keep them and their loved ones in your thoughts today."

Our hearts ache for the lives lost in last night’s storm. Please keep them and their loved ones in your thoughts today.

They were our fellow New Yorkers and to their families, your city will be their for you in the days ahead.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) September 2, 2021

The rising water also caused chaos on the subways. Video shot at 28th Street subway station, among other stops, showed gushing water flowing down the platform.

The catastrophic flooding across the five boroughs, included city's subway tunnels. Experts warn such devastating flooding likely will be more common amid climate-change-induced natural disasters.

Much of New York City's transit system remained stymied Thursday morning.

Janno Lieber, the MTA's acting chair and CEO, said crews are working to bring back service.

"There's growing service on the lettered line, the A train, the D train and the L train and many others," he told Fox 5's "Good Day New York." "The numbered lines are still mostly very, very limited service."

Service across our system is extremely limited as we work to recover from last night's heavy rainfall and flooding.

Stay home if you can. If you must travel, please note that train times may not be accurate. Check https://t.co/1mbGGZApQy before you go, & listen to announcements.
— MTA. Wear a Mask. Stop the Spread. (@MTA) September 2, 2021

Read More:

• Central Park Again Records Wettest Hour In NYC History
• Woodside Toddler Among At Least 8 Dead After Historic Flooding
• 'Life Threatening' Flash Flood Emergency Issued For NYC
• NYC Under Tornado Watch As Ida Remnants Soak City