NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — A powerful nor’easter brought flooding, strong winds and dangerous ocean conditions to parts of New York City on Saturday, toppling trees and leaving residents in waterfront communities cleaning up damage while officials warned that worsening conditions could be on the way.
The strong winds caused havoc in Glendale, Queens, where a tree came down at 76-12 88th St. between 77th and 76th avenues around 5:40 p.m., leaving the roadway blocked off because of downed power lines.
The FDNY had to evacuate the building nearby as a precaution, but no injuries were reported.
However, in East New York, Brooklyn, a downed tree turned deadly. A 56-year-old NYCHA employee was killed when a tree fell on him in a parking lot at 700 Euclid Ave. in East New York, Brooklyn. Police say the victim had trauma throughout his body and was pronounced dead at Brookdale University hospital. It’s not clear yet if wind was responsible for the fallen tree.
There were calls for 391 downed trees in the city as of 9 p.m. on Saturday, according to the New York City Department of Parks.
But winds were just part of the life-threatening conditions posed by the powerful nor’easter.
In Howard Beach, high tide early Saturday morning turned streets into waterways, forcing some residents to find creative ways to get around. Floodwaters covered roads from 159th Road to 116th Avenue, and video from the neighborhood showed residents navigating submerged streets.
Some businesses remained closed as owners assessed damage and worked to protect their properties. Kevin Scott, who owns a local store, said he had to park behind his business and walk through roughly 16 inches of water to open for customers. Other business owners along the flood-prone corridor placed sandbags around their storefronts in hopes of keeping rising waters at bay.
Some residents even resorted to kayaks to get around inundated roadways. Ring camera footage captured neighbors traveling through floodwaters between 159th Road and 160th Avenue.
Summer may be over, but the kayaks are back out. Across Queens and Nassau County, New Yorkers are using them to get around flooded roadways.
Longtime residents said flooding has become an increasingly frequent concern. Martin O’Toole, who has lived in the neighborhood for 70 years, said coastal flooding now brings anxiety for homeowners worried about protecting their properties and vehicles. Floodwaters also covered parts of Alameda Avenue, Beach 25th Street in Far Rockaway and areas of Coney Island.
People could be seen walking, running and exercising on the boardwalk while members of the New York City Parks Department patrolled the area to help ensure public safety. Despite warnings from officials, at least one person entered the water.
The storm has already disrupted several major events. Organizers canceled the Global Citizen Festival and Sneaker Con.
City emergency officials said there were no reported issues with subway service at the time. However, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had positioned debris trains and generators to help protect the transit system from potential flooding.
The MTA plans to keep trains and buses operating throughout the storm, although service suspensions remain a possibility. Officials said the agency has stockpiled generators and other equipment and has pre-positioned resources ahead of the storm.
“Crews are being deployed at strategic locations across the entire MTA regional network, so they can respond quickly if and when there are any conditions, like downed trees,” Lieber said. “This is, you know, a constant concern. We have debris trains, trucks, chainsaws ready to go. So, if and when that happens, we will be ready to deal with it promptly and effectively.”
Despite a temporary lull in conditions during the day, city officials warned residents not to let their guard down as another high tide whipped up Saturday evening. Strong winds remained a major concern, with the New York City Parks Department responding to hundreds of reports of downed trees. Several events and school programs across the city were canceled because of the weather.
Residents in coastal neighborhoods said power outages remain a major concern. One resident recalled dealing with a previous hurricane in a 16-story building without elevator service and said another outage would be difficult because the building does not have a generator.
Many longtime residents said they have weathered severe storms before and were not overly concerned, though worries remain about the effects of strong winds and flooding in low-lying areas.
People who live in the ocean-front town of Rockaway Beach were pumping water out of their homes and cleaning up some of the debris left in the roadway after the high tide earlier Saturday.
Krista McNally has the details on the coastal flooding.
Gov. Kathy Hochul warned of dangerous ocean conditions, including storm-force winds, coastal flooding and life-threatening rip currents as the nor’easter moved through New York. Officials urged people to stay out of the water because of the rough surf and hazardous seas.
Stay with the Eyewitness News AccuWeather team for continuing live updates on the nor’easter.
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