2 dead after being found in flooded basements as New York City sees record rainfall

Thursday’s rains caused deadly flooding in parts of New York City, breaking records and causing damage across the tri-state area.

Downed trees, impassable roads and problems with public transport were reported.

Apparent storm-related deaths in Brooklyn and Upper Manhattan

At least two deaths apparently linked to the storm have been reported.

Firefighters responded to a call of a person trapped in the flooded basement of a home on Kingston Avenue, near Midwood Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, around 4:30 p.m.

Police said FDNY divers entered the apartment and found a 39-year-old man. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His identity has not yet been revealed.

A friend of the deceased man told CBS News New York’s Ali Bauman that he was trying to save his dog in the basement when water rushed in.

“The most genuine gift, without ever asking for anything,” the friend said.

Neighbors say the block quickly found itself underwater during the storm, as it tends to do lately during flash floods.

“Maybe it’s like a wake-up call. We’re calling for help,” said neighbor Renee Philips.

Around the same time, in Washington Heights, police were dispatched to an apartment building on West 175th Street and Broadway. Witnesses told police a 43-year-old man was found unconscious in a flooded boiler room in the basement.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. A cousin identified the victim as Juan Carlos Montoya Hernández.

Residents said Hernandez had lived in the building for at least 10 years and lived in a small room in the basement. One resident said he was loved by everyone and was kind and helpful.

The victim’s cousin said he leaves behind five children.

The city sent text messages and emails Thursday warning of flash flooding in parts of our area, urging people to move to higher ground. New Yorkers must register with Notify NYC to receive these messages.

Record rainfall hits parts of New York

It was a record day for precipitation in parts of the city. The National Weather Service reported 1.85 inches in Central Park, breaking the previous daily precipitation record of 1.64 set in 1917. The NWS also reported 2.09 inches at LaGuardia Airport, shattering the previous mark of 1.18 inches set in 1955, and 1.99 inches at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, breaking the previous record of 1.57 inches, also set in 1955.

The storm also caused long delays at the three main airports, problems on the rails and thousands of power outages across the region.

Winds have reached 53 mph at times and are expected to return in force Friday morning. Gusts will range between 35 and 50 mph, and the threat of downed trees and power lines will once again be present.

Click here for the latest watches and warnings from the First Alert Weather Team.

Roads flooded and trees felled in New York and New Jersey

City Councilman Justin Brannan reported that several intersections in Brooklyn had been flooded by stormwater, citing the age of some sewers and their blockage with debris.

The husband of Bay Ridge store owner Tina Jiang spent hours in knee-deep water, brushing leaves from the gutter as the sewers backed up, but it wasn’t enough to stop the water from flooding his basement and destroying inventory at his discount store.

“I tried to call 911. No one answers. There are probably people everywhere,” she said. “Tonight I can’t sleep all night. What can we do? I hope someone can help me.”

“This afternoon’s record storm is a continuation of short but extremely intense downpours that have become increasingly common in recent years. DEP crews continue to respond throughout the city to respond to reports of flooding and assist with drainage efforts,” a spokesperson for the city Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement.

The New York City Parks Department said that as of 4 p.m. it had received 147 reports of downed trees. He asks that tree conditions be reported to 311. In the event of a true emergency, New Yorkers should call 911.

Of these, trees were reported in the Hollis, Flushing and Corona sections of Queens. CBS News New York’s Adi Guajardo assessed the damage, which included huge uprooted trees and at least one destroyed car.

“It felt like it was the end of the world. The rain came down so hard, and I was upstairs and all of a sudden the house shook,” said neighbor Diane Squillari.

A tree also reportedly fell on electrical wires and crushed a car on East 230th Street in the Wakefield neighborhood of the Bronx. The driver had just gotten out of his vehicle when the incident occurred and was not injured. Con Edison was also concerned about live power lines that were sparking and causing even more danger.

The NYPD said the westbound Long Island Expressway was closed at Cross Island Parkway for a time due to flooding, causing significant delays.

The Westchester County Police Department said the Bronx River Parkway was closed in both directions between Main Street in White Plains and Sprain Brook Parkway in Yonkers. He added that significant flooding occurred on the Hutchinson River Parkway near Mill Road in Eastchester.

In Hoboken, New Jersey, CBS News New York’s Naveen Dhaliwal was at the intersection of Willow and Seventh streets and reported that all four sewers had become clogged, causing flooding in the immediate area and elsewhere. The water subsequently receded and no significant damage or injuries were reported.

Also in New Jersey, crews had to rescue a driver and a child from floodwaters in Bayonne.

Coastal flooding was reported in the New Jersey communities of Lanoka Harbor, Seaside Heights, Ocean Gate and Toms River.

Travel issues

Weather conditions caused a temporary ground stop and continued long delays at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. Travelers are advised to check with their carrier before traveling to the airport.

The MTA said some subway lines were forced to bypass stations due to water on the tracks. Since then, all weather-related service interruptions have ended.

NJ Transit said North Jersey Coast Line train service was temporarily suspended in both directions between New York’s Penn Station and Long Branch stations due to a downed tree near Woodbridge, and trains temporarily bypassed some stations due to high water conditions near Newark Liberty Airport, but full service has since resumed.