Hurricane Ida: State of Emergency Declared in New York; Airports, Subways Shut

New York governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in the state while airports and subways were shut.

New York governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in the state, while airports and subway lines were shut down.

(Photo: Screenshot/Twitter) 

Dangerous high-end Category-4 Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in Louisiana on 29 August, wreaked havoc in northeast United States, including in New York. Flash floods and heavy rain on Thursday, 2 September, brought devastation in many areas.

New York governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in the state. Streets of Brooklyn and Queens are massively inundated, while airports and subway lines were shut down.

Hurricane Ida had earlier crashed into the southern state of Louisiana, bringing severe flooding and tornadoes.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled at Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK airports. Several subway lines are flooded as well.

"Take shelter NOW. Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Move to a lower floor and stay away from windows," tweeted New York City's emergency notification body.

A rare flash-flood emergency warning was issued earlier, urging citizens to move to higher ground. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, “Significant and life-threatening flash flooding is likely from the Mid-Atlantic into southern New England", news agency AFP reported.

Seven people have so far died due to Ida, however, the toll is expected to increase.

The NWS account for Philadelphia metropolitan area tweeted a video saying, "This is extremely dangerous and potentially deadly flash flooding ongoing in Somerset County, as well as others in the area.”

Menwhile, US President Joe Biden is scheduled to travel to Louisiana on Friday, where Ida caused a massive power outage, leaving more than a million homes without power.

(With inputs from AFP)