Amazing Video Shows Exactly Why You Shouldn't Drive In Standing Flood Water
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Officials have said it again and again: do not drive through flood waters, as you do not know how deep the water is going to be.
A stunning video has emerged on YouTube showing you exactly why you shouldn't do it. The culprits are two massive National Guard vehicles. Apparently, the drivers mistook their trucks for submarines.
Watch the amazing video:
The vehicles in question are apparently LMTVs, which stands for "Light Medium Tactical Vehicles." Officially, they are apparently M1078 Standard Cargo Trucks. They can carry up to 5,000 pounds of cargo and can also carry troops. They weigh several tons. They are not built to swim.
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These two were apparently dispatched to lend an assist after flooding swamped Manville, New Jersey Sunday in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene.
The trucks are seen approaching JFK Boulevard, already in extremely deep water. By the time they cross JFK Boulevard, the tops of the camouflage trucks are barely visible. They seem to resemble alligators whose backs are barely surfacing above the water. The entire windshield and windows are submerged. Only the covered canopy and the top of the cab is visible.
It doesn't end well for the two vehicles. After passing under an overpass, the two are shown getting stuck in the water. Perhaps "stuck" isn't the word - one of the vehicles is seen bobbing up and down in the water like an apple.
Shortly after the vehicles become mired, their occupants can be seen surfacing from the trucks. Some climb on top of the vehicles.
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One viewer of the YouTube video claims on the page the two trucks were part of his National Guard unit whose mission was to go get civilians stranded in the flood.
Many of the comments on the YouTube video seem to surround the difference between the Army, Navy and Marines, with most commenters suggesting the latter two groups would've done a better job of it.
What's your reaction to the video? Sound off in our comments section.
