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By MELISSA KOENIG and RACHEL BOWMAN
Updated: 05:33, 1 August 2025
Torrential downpours led to massive flooding across the Northeast on Thursday as hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed and vehicles traveling during rush hour were caught in the deluge.
Photos and videos shared online showed cars along the Clearview Expressway in NYC submerged underwater as the rain started to fall.
Another video from inside a city bus showed the rainwaters pouring into the vehicle.
About 25 million Americans were under a state of emergency, with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declaring a statewide emergency.
He also issued a flash flood watch for the entire state, home to nearly 10 million people.
In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul issued a similar alert covering some of the state’s most densely populated counties, approximately 15 million New Yorkers. The warning includes all five boroughs of New York City.
Hundreds of flights across the East Coast were canceled or delayed Thursday night, with LaGuardia Airport in New York City canceling 158 of its outgoing flights and 169 of its inbound flights.
Another 189 outgoing flights and 137 incoming flights were delayed, according to Flight Aware, a website that tracks flights across the country.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in DC experienced the second most cancelations and delays, with 138 outgoing flights and 121 incoming flights canceled. Another 133 outgoing flights and 116 incoming flights were delayed.
Newark Liberty International Airport also canceled 110 outgoing flights and 115 incoming flights, as 174 outgoing flights and 164 incoming flights were delayed.
The storms have passed The storms have now passed off the coast of the Northeast, but forecasters say some rain may continue into Friday.
Hundreds of New Yorkers still without power Torrential rainfall in the NYC area left hundreds of New Yorkers without power for hours after the deluge.
Con Edison said Thursday night the 1,500 customers did not have service but they were expecting the disruption to be fixed within hours.
Repairs were taking place across the Bronx and Manhattan after significant damage.
Severe thunderstorm watch for Philadelphia, Boston and NJ canceled Severe thunderstorm watches for southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and parts of Maryland are no longer in effect, the National Weather Service announced.
Flash flood warning for NYC canceled Flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings have been lifted in New York City Emergency Management, though officials warn residents against any unnecessary travel to allow crews to address the storm damage.
‘Scattered showers are possible overnight into early Friday,’ the city Department of Emergency Management said. ‘A few may bring brief heavy rain
The request to avoid travel is to allow crews to address impacts from today’s rainstorms, the agency said. ‘A few may bring brief heavy rain but these are expected to be isolated.’
The department also said 25 trees fell in the city during the storms, mostly in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Utility Con Ed also reports that 1,568 customers were without power.
NYC bus flooded Video shared online shows a New York City bus was flooded during the torrential downpours.
Young boy dies in Maryland A young boy has died in the flooding in Maryland, according to local news reports.
The unidentified youngster was found dead after he was swept away by flood waters in Mt. Airy.
New York Congressman uses storms to slam Trump administration New York Rep. Tom Suozzi used the flooding in New York City on Thursday as an opportunity to slam the Trump administration.
‘Climate change is real,’ he wrote. ‘The changes at the EPA and by the Trump administration on the environment are wrong-headed.
‘We need to work on preventing it from getting worse and building resiliency!’
Major NYC highway remains closed as police respond to the scene The Cross Island Parkway in New York remained closed Thursday night after flooding caused debris to fall from the Long Island Rail Road and Metro North Station, NYC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry said.
He shared that Department of Transportation, Department of Emergency Management and New York City police are on the scene.
Ground stop lifted at Philadelphia International Airport The ground stop that had been in effect for Philadelphia International Airport has been lifted, as the storms moved east.
Travelers, though, may still experience weather-related delays.
18,000 without power in New Jersey More than 18,000 people were without power in New Jersey Thursday night, according to data from poweroutage.us.
Nearly 12,000 were also without power in Maryland.
Amtrak service suspended between Pennsylvania and Delaware Amtrak has announced service has been suspended between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware as a result of ‘severe storms causing high water over tracks.
‘We are working to establish and provide a delay time,’ the rail service said.
‘Once a route is available, anticipate residual delays.’
Tree blocks service on New Jersey Transit A tree fell onto the wires above the tracks for the New Jersey transit, causing at least 30-minute delays on the Morris & Essex Line.
Long Island Expressway under water Massive flooding has extended to Long Island, with video showing cars submerged on the Long Island Expressway.
Floodwater seeps through walls of subway Video shared online showed rainwater spewing out of the walls at one subway station during the evening commute.
The video was taken at the 7th Avenue station in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Video shows flooding at Grand Central Station A video posted online by Chantal McLaughlin shows how badly Grand Central Station was getting flooded.
She explained that the video was taken on a 3:51 pm departure on the Hudson Line train.
NYC mayor urges residents in basement apartments to ‘move now’ In a video posted to social media, New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged residents who live in basement apartments to ‘move now.’
‘Don’t drive. Roadways are flooding, and crews are responding,’ he said as he issued a state of emergency.
‘If you live in a basement apartment, and haven’t yet moved to higher ground, move now.’
He added that the city is expecting to see three inches of rain, though some areas may see even more.
Drivers hang on top of cars as they wait for rescue from floods Images shared online showed drivers sitting on top of their cars in Bayside, Queens, as floodwaters rush through the area.
MTA experiencing major subway delays The MTA is experiencing delays along the A, D, E, B, F and C lines as New Yorkers attempt to navigate rush hour during torrential rain.
The MTA advises commuters to use caution while traveling on stairs and platforms, give yourself extra time and check service status before you go.
Vehicles submerged in Staten Island Images shared on social media showed several cars submerged in water in Staten Island.
NJ Transit suspends Gladstone Branch service New Jersey Transit has suspended service in both directions along the Gladstone Brance service due to the weather conditions.
NYC: Closures on FDR Drive New York City Emergency Management annoucned Northbound FDR Drive is closed at East Houston Street in Manhattan due to flooding.
Pennsylvania Gov. warns of flash floods Gov. Josh Shapiro warned residents of excessive rainfall and flash floods on Thursday, as neighboring New Jersey is under a state of emergency.
25million Americans are under a state of emergency About 25 million Americans across New York and New Jersey are under a state of emergency as severe storms move through the area.
Up to seven inches of rain are forecasted for the area bringing the risks of flash flooding.
PICTURED: New Yorkers brace the rain MTA chair expresses concern for subway lines MTA Chairman Janno Lieber told NBC New York that his agency is concerned about flooding on the 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue lines (the 1/2/3 and the A/C/E lines, respectively) because the curb height is so low.
He explained that the low curb height means if there is water on the street, it will rush into those stations.
NYC’s Department of Environmental Protection has 50 specialized trucks that clear 150,000 catch basins across the five boroughs, and those basins can get packed with soggy sewage that can clog the system, exacerbating the flooding, according to the outlet.
What to do during a flash flood Experts advise evacuating and getting to higher ground in case of a flash flood.
‘Before leaving, secure your home by locking it. If time allows, disconnect your utilities and appliances. This reduces the risk of electrical hazards during flooding,’ the National Weather Service said.
‘Impacted residents are urged to avoid their basements or any submerged areas with electrical cords or outlets to avoid an electrical accident.
‘If you notice sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping, or popping noises, evacuate immediately. Avoid any water that may be charged with electricity.
‘Never attempt to walk through floodwaters. Even just six inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.’
East Coast storms cause travel CHAOS The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that a major thunderstorm system bringing life-threatening flooding has shut down flights in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.
Major travel hubs, including LaGuardia Airport, Newark-Liberty International Airport, and Philadelphia International Airport have all announced ground stops until at least 5pm ET.
Other major airports, including John F Kennedy International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, have announced ground delays lasting until at least early Friday morning.
The airport chaos has led to flight delays of more than three hours at New York’s JFK Airport and New Jersey’s Newark Airport.
New York Yankees game disrupted by storms The Yankees were up 7-4 against divisional rivals the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning when a rain delay was called at around 2:40pm ET.
Grounds crew rolled out the tarp during the rain delay as the teams wait for word on when the game can continue.
What is a flash flood warning? Flash flood flood warnings are active in parts of New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia.
‘A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is either imminent or already occurring,’ according to the National Weather Service.
‘A flash flood is a sudden and violent inundation that can develop within minutes to hours, and it can even happen in areas not currently experiencing rainfall.’
New York Gov. declares state of emergency Governor Kathy Hochul announced a state of emergency for New York City and the surrounding counties shortly before 3:00pm ET.
She advised residents to ‘stay vigilant, stay informed, and use caution as we expect excessive rainfall with the potential for flash flooding.’
The state of emergency covers the Bronx, Delaware, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester, and contiguous counties.
Flood watches are in effect for New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley through Friday afternoon.
Long Island Rail Road suspends service on Port Washington Branch The Long Island Rail Road is suspended in both directions on the Port Washington Branch due to high water east of Flushing Main Street.
PICTURE: Eerie storm clouds loom over NYC skyline
New Jersey Gov. issues flash flood watch New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy issued a flash flood watch for the entire state Thursday afternoon.
‘Please avoid all unnecessary travel this evening. Most flood-related fatalities occur in vehicles,’ he said.
Cars submerged in floodwaters in Queens Cars along the Clearview Expressway in Queens, New York, were submerged in waters as the rain started to fall Thursday afternoon.
The Clearview Expressway is closed in both directions at Northern Boulevard, the NYPD annouced.
State of Emergency declared in New York and New Jersey New Jersey and New York have declared a State of Emergency ahead of severe thunderstorms expected to unleash life-threatening flash flooding across the state.
Meteorologists warned that up to seven inches of rain could fall through the evening, prompting flash flood watches statewide until Friday morning.
Source: Dailymail.co.uk | Continue to Full Story…
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