Nor'easter Batters NYC With Heavy Rain, Winds, Causing Flooding and Minor Injuries
Second round of storm brings surreal scenes, downed trees, and power outages across the region.
New York City experienced the second wave of a powerful nor'easter this weekend, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, significant flooding, and leading to minor injuries from a fallen tree.
The storm inundated coastal neighborhoods, with areas like Broad Channel experiencing severe flooding likened to Superstorm Sandy in 2012. An off-duty NYPD officer described the water outside his home as reaching two-and-a-half feet deep, with his crawl space flooded up to the joists.
"I moved here to Far Rockaway when I was 10, and this is the worst it’s been since Sandy," the officer said. The storm also brought unusual sights, with reports of ocean fish swimming in driveways and seagulls scavenging on flooded streets.
In Brooklyn, a 1-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl were among four people who sustained minor injuries when a tree fell in Kelly Park Playground. The other injured individuals were a 40-year-old woman and a 41-year-old woman. The baby suffered a cut to his cheek, the girl a broken arm, and the two women head and wrist injuries, according to police.
The punishing winds were also responsible for the death of Leighton Brown, 56, a NYCHA repairman, who was killed by a falling tree on Saturday.
Across New York State, nearly 40,000 customers were left without power on Sunday morning, with over 19,000 outages in Suffolk County alone. Rainfall totals included 3.16 inches in Howard Beach, Queens, while wind gusts reached up to 56 mph at JFK Airport.
Surreal scenes were reported throughout the city, including flooded streets in the Far Rockaways where horseshoe crabs and debris were seen floating. In New Jersey, four portable toilets were reportedly blown across a parking lot at Metlife Stadium.
Despite warnings, some surfers were seen braving the high waves off Rockaway Beach. In one incident, a swimmer who sparked fears after being spotted jumping into 18-foot waves near Fire Island was later found to be safe and had contacted authorities himself.
The nor'easter combined with a full moon and high tide created what residents described as a "trifecta of floods."