New York City is experiencing its first ever flash flood emergency. The mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency when remains of Hurricane Ida began to sweep across the northeast, devastating the area. Wednesday brought severe weather and rainfall which resulted in the first flash flood emergency for the city issued by the National Weather Service. 

At the storm’s height, the city received as much as 1.5 inches of rain. Brooklyn’s Prospect Park claims the top of the rainfall total list at 8.8 inches of rain. Central Park received a total of 8.2 inches of rain. Within one hour, from 8:51 to 9:51, Manhattan Park received a total of 3.15 inches, a new record. Mayor de Blasio also called for a travel ban until 5pm on Thursday (September 2) evening.

 Dozens of lives have been claimed after the flooding in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Connecticut. In addition to ruinous flooding and power outages, tornado warnings were sounded for Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Philadelphia was alerted when the National Weather Service reported a tornado which appeared to be “large and extremely dangerous” and was seen close to Mullica Hill, New Jersey. It has been confirmed that the tornado was EF-3. Officials still strongly advise people to stay off the roads.