Heavy Rains Swamp Subway Stations Across New York City
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Tuesday's storms created wet and miserable conditions for commuters across our area. The remnants of what was once Hurricane Florence impacted New York City in a big way, soaking subway stations and creating flash floods across much of the Tri-State area.
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Video posted to social media showed commuters at the L Train station at First Avenue sloshing through ankle-deep water.
@MTA the 8th Ave bound L Train at 1st Ave is heavily flooding. Extremely dangerous. pic.twitter.com/dNsCCi8aAu
— papi chulo (@hardwhitebarbie) September 18, 2018
Video posted to social media showed commuters at the L Train station at First Avenue sloshing through ankle-deep water.
Video courtesy of my boyfriend. When it rains it pours in the @NYCTSubway system. Yikes. #NYwx #nycsubway pic.twitter.com/ao39zxXBX9
— Jeremy Rosenberg (@JeremyR1992) September 18, 2018
Rain deluged a subway at 42nd Street/Bryant Park station.
"Just got off the C at 34th and got wet getting off the train because guess what! It's raining on the platform," wrote Keara Benton on Twitter.
@NYCTSubway @MTA back at it again! pic.twitter.com/NlDZUHgPj5
— keara (@keara_benton) September 18, 2018
Twitter user Rory Mondshein posted video of flooding at Penn Station.
Check out #PennStation in a storm. @NYGovCuomo pic.twitter.com/f0N9ivOQDF
— Rory (@Rory_Moe) September 18, 2018
"For anyone that says our transit system is fine and we can't afford to fix it, check out Penn Station in a storm and tell me that it's not going to cost our taxpayers more money to make short term repairs to fix the system [once] and for all," Rory Mondshein wrote.
For anyone that says our transit system is fine and that we can't afford to fix it, check out #PennStation in a storm and tell me that it is not going to cost our taxpayers more money to make short term repairs than to fix the system one and for all. #mta #fixthemta #CuomosMTA pic.twitter.com/kw5sbotyar
— Rory (@Rory_Moe) September 18, 2018
Commuters say the waters started rushing in so fast, transit officials couldn't keep up. They deployed crews to help put caution tape and signs warning of wet floors, but riders say the MTA needs more than brooms to help fix the system's ailing infrastructure.
"The subway system is falling apart, they're doing the one train, you look up and half the metal is missing," straphanger Anita said.
Officials say Tuesday's flooding wasn't due to any type of defects at the stations. Instead, they say heavy rain can overwhelm the sewer system in the street which then flows down the subway steps and air vents.
The flash flooding wasn't limited to the subways.
@CBSNewYork There are WAVES on the street in Astoria. pic.twitter.com/3GBp93p91J
— Kevin Skinner (@KevinDontDance) September 18, 2018
Twitter user Kevin Skinner tweeted a photo of "waves on the street in Astoria."
Some pretty substantial flooding along 48th Ave in LIC, Queens pic.twitter.com/ksP7ySjLAa
— Jeremy Rosenberg (@JeremyR1992) September 18, 2018
Jeremy Rosenberg posted a photo of "substantial flooding" along 48th Avenue in Long Island City.