New York City and its adjoining areas have been brought to a standstill after a bout of torrential downpours triggered flash flooding, disrupting subway service, inundating ground-level apartments and delaying flights.
Authorities declared a state of emergency and warned people to remain indoors as almost eight inches (20cm) of rain fell in some parts of the most populous city in the US. Another few inches could fall in the region before the storm system pushed out to sea later on Friday, forecasters said.
The rain capped one of New York’s wettest Septembers on record, with 13.74 inches (34.9cm) of rain falling during the month as of 11am on Friday, and more on the way, said Dominic Ramunni, a National Weather Service forecaster. The all-time high was set in 1882 when 16.82 inches (42.72 cm) fell in September.