Close Shocking videos show New York underwater amid flash flood warning

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New York has “officially transitioned into the recovery phase” after Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency following historic rainfall and flash flooding, officials said over the weekend.

The governor’s declaration came as torrential rain pummelled the northeastern US, her pleas for residents to stay home echoed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who’d also asked New Yorkers to shelter in place.

Most people heeded the call, the governor said Saturday – though at least 28 rescues were conducted by New York emergency services, she said.

Brooklyn was particularly hard hit by rising water with shocking videos showing streets and subways underwater, and one hospital forced to evacuate more than 150 patients after electrical damage forced its temporary closure. Widespread outages and delays were reported on the MTA, the agency that runs the city’s transit system, before it returned to full weekend service on Saturday.

Historic rainfall levels were recorded at locations from LaGuardia Airport to Central Park, where a sea lion named Sally gained viral video fame “after briefly exploring the flooded plaza inside the zoo,” officials said.

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Another round of showers and thunderstorms moved across the Mid-Atlantic Tuesday after intense rain set off dangerous flash flooding from Virginia to New York on Monday, leaving at least two dead and prompting dozens of rescues as water overwhelmed roads and subways.

Monday saw the most flash flood warnings ever issued in a single July day, with nearly 100, primarily across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Flooding was reported near Newark, New Jersey, New York City, northern Virginia and southern Maryland, according to the National Weather Service.

Two people died in Plainfield, New Jersey, after a vehicle was swept away by floodwater, Union County spokesperson Kelly Martins told CNN in a statement.

Tuesday’s storms were more scattered and less intense than Monday’s, but rainfall rates were heavy – and with the ground already soaked, even small amounts of rain caused problems.

The weather service reported flash flooding in areas of North Carolina Tuesday evening, including Burlington and Mount Airy, where vehicles were stranded, roads washed out, and water rushed into homes. Scattered showers are expected to continue across the Appalachian region, particularly western North Carolina, Wednesday morning.

Storms set off dangerous flooding during Monday rush hour

Showers on Monday dominated the Northeast by the latter half of the day and the heaviest storms arrived by early evening, threatening rush hour commuters.

New York City experienced its second wettest hour on record Monday night after a little over 2 inches fell between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. local time. This record is only beat by the approximately three-and-a-half inches of rain recorded during the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021. New York City received a total of 2.64 inches of rain, shattering its previous record for July 14 rainfall set in 1908.

Video Ad Feedback NYC subway car floods after heavy rainfall 0:07 – Source: CNN NYC subway car floods after heavy rainfall 0:07

Videos on social media showed water gushing onto platforms in New York’s subway and flowing through subway cars as passengers crouched on seats. At least one subway station was flooded by the deluge, according to a spokesperson with the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Several trains were also suspended, delayed or rerouted due to the flooding, according to MTA’s website.

Several airports in the New York City area issued temporary ground stops and delays Monday evening, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, and impacts were also reported at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Boston Logan International Airport.

Cars struggle on waterlogged roads amid street flooding in Mount Joy, PA 0:19 – Source: CNN Cars struggle on waterlogged roads amid street flooding in Mount Joy, PA 0:19

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency due to the flooding Monday night, warning residents to “remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary.” The governor on Tuesday noted some roadways remained closed as crews worked to “clear debris, make emergency road repairs, and remove abandoned cars caught in last night’s flooding.”

North Plainfield, New Jersey, Mayor Lawrence La Ronde told CNN affiliate WABC emergency crews rescued people from at least 30 homes, after streets became completely flooded and were impassable.

People walk through floodwaters in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on Monday, July 14, 2025. WPMT

In Union County, New Jersey, where the two deaths occurred, police assisted with 19 water rescues and the county’s regional communications center received over 1,200 emergency calls in just two hours during the height of the storm, Martins, the spokesperson, added. The area saw rainfall totals between 3 to 5 inches.

In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 16 water rescues were reported in Mount Joy Township Monday afternoon, according to the Mount Joy Fire Department.

“Starting around 2:00 p.m., intense rainfall dropped over 7 inches of rain in less than five hours, overwhelming stormwater infrastructure and inundating portions of the borough,” the fire department said in a Facebook post. “The west end of town was hardest hit, with reports of over 5 feet of water in some homes.”

When will the rain end?

CNN Weather

More showers began to develop in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Tuesday afternoon, lingering over parts of western North Carolina and Virginia during the evening.

Showers will start clearing up by early Wednesday. Weather will remain quiet until the flood threat shifts north once again Wednesday into Thursday, with a level 2 of 4 excessive rainfall risk for most of Pennsylvania, the Washington, DC, Metroplex, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia.

Much of the area impacted by flooding early in the week had seen up to 300% of their normal rainfall over the past two weeks.

Record-breaking flood events have happened nearly back-to-back in recent weeks, most notably in Texas’ Hill Country, where more than 130 people died after catastrophic flooding on July 4. New Mexico, North Carolina and other East Coast states have also seen life-threatening floods and historic rainfall this month.

More than 3,000 flash flood warnings have been issued so far this year by National Weather Service offices around the country, with the current count higher than any previous year through July 14 since such records began in 1986.

Overwhelming rainfall is becoming more prevalent in a warming world, as rising global temperatures drive weather toward extremes. Hourly rainfall rates have grown heavier in nearly 90% of large US cities since 1970, according to a recent study from the nonprofit research group Climate Central.

Storms thrive on warm, moist air, and with the nation approaching peak summer heat, this month has seen the perfect conditions for flooding rain.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Nearly two dozen girls at a Christian summer camp are missing — and potentially dead — after their cabins were apparently washed away by “catastrophic” and fatal flooding in Texas that has left at least 13 people dead, officials announced Friday.

Around 20 children are unaccounted for at Camp Mystic alongside the Guadalupe River in Hunt, a suburb of San Antonio in Kerr County, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at a news conference.

5 Aerial map of Camp Mystic in Texas showing flood impact, highlighting senior and junior cabin locations relative to the Guadalupe River. Falon Wriede / NY Post Design

“That does not mean they’ve been lost. They could be in a tree. They could be out of communication. We’re praying for all those missing to be found alive,” Patrick said.

5 Texas Camp Mystic, a girls-only camp on the Guadalupe River, had to be evacuated overnight due to flooding. KSATtv

So far, at least 13 people are dead in Kerr County, and several are missing.

“There’s still several people unaccounted for right now, at this point, but we’re working really hard. And we’re going to continue. This is probably going to be a couple of day process,” Kerr County Sheriff Larry L. Leitha warned.

The all-girls sleep-away camp was evacuated overnight as the area was hit with up to 10 inches of rain, but some of the campers were left behind.

Some cabins were reportedly flooded and others washed away, with the surrounding roads suffering a washout.

5 23 children remain unaccounted for after the deadly floods alongside the Guadalupe River. AP

Some of the children have been located and are stranded, but “about 23” of the 750 Mystic campers were still unaccounted for, Patrick estimated.

Up to 500 rescue workers and 18 helicopters are scouring the area for survivors, Patrick said. The state also deployed 40 helicopters, 12 drones, and nine dive and rescue teams earlier Friday.

“I want all of you to know we will do everything humanly possible. Twenty-four-seven, looking at every tree, turning over every rock, whatever it takes — if your child is one of those truly missing and not just out of touch — to find your daughter,” Patrick vowed.

Camp staff sent out an email to families informing them of the tragedy, and that the camp lost power, water, and Wi-Fi.

“If you have not been personally contacted, then your daughter is accounted for,” said the horrifying email, obtained by KSAT.

“We are working with search and rescue currently. The highway has washed away, so we are struggling to get more help.”

Camp Mystic is a Christian summer camp for girls in Hunt between the ages of 7 and 17.

Patrick urged parents not to rush to the camp because of the dangerous conditions, but promised buses would bring the rescued girls to reconnect with their families as soon as they are found.

“I know if it were one of my children, I would be tempted to want to drive there from Houston as well, but we’re asking people to stay away from the areas,” Patrick said.

“We’ll find a point, and we’ll announce it at that time, where you can be reunited with your child and hug them. Hug them hard because you know they’re frightened.”

Children at other surrounding camps were also accounted for.

Those at Camp La Junta, an all-boys camp also at the lake when the flood started, were “safe and accounted for,” according to its Instagram.

5 Trees stand partially submerged after storms caused massive flooding from the swollen Guadalupe River. Michael Moad via REUTERS

Patrick did admit, however, that some of the campers could be among the young bodies that rescuers found during the flood searches.

An undisclosed number of bodies, both adult and child, were discovered Friday, including some inside cars and others that washed out from the river.

State officials declined to reveal the preliminary death toll, claiming that the numbers would continue to change as missing people were recovered.

At least six people were killed, officials told the Austin American-Statesman.

Follow The Post’s coverage on the deadly Texas flooding

Gov. Greg Abbott described the situation as “devastating flooding” across Hill County and the Concho Valley.

The portion of the Guadalupe River near Hunt reached its second-highest level on record amid the flash flooding emergency, according to the National Weather Service.

Rainfall is expected to continue to fall, which will contribute to continued flooding.

“There is an ongoing threat for possible flash flooding from San Antonio to Waco for the next 24 to 48 hours, in addition to the continued risks in west and central Texas,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement.

5 Water rises from severe flooding along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas on Friday, July 4, 2025. AP

“I urge Texans in impacted areas to heed the guidance of their local officials.”

An evacuation order was issued for Kerr County, with residents ordered to move to higher ground.

All Kerr County residents who live near the Guadalupe River have been asked to evacuate their homes and move to higher ground.

The state deployed 40 helicopters, 12 drones, and nine dive and rescue teams, as well as 500 people on the ground.

The Texas National Guard was activated Thursday night and is orchestrating helicopter searches throughout Hunt and Kerrville.

The US Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are also assisting.

President Trump has been notified and the White House has been in touch several times to relay that “whatever we need, we will have,” Patrick said, according to CNN.

At least 63 dead as Helene pummels south-east US

29 September 2024 Share Save Nadine Yousif, Max Matza & Ana Faguy BBC News Share Save

Dramatic flooding and rescues as Hurricane Helene hits Florida

At least 63 people have died and millions have been left without power as Hurricane Helene roared through the south-eastern US. In North Carolina, more than 400 roads remain closed with the mountain town of Asheville largely cut off. Supplies are being airlifted to residents, state governor Roy Cooper said. Officials continued daring rescues with boats, helicopters and large vehicles to help those stranded in floodwaters – including about 50 workers and patients who crowded on the roof of a flooded Tennessee hospital. It was the most powerful storm on record to hit Florida’s Big Bend and moved north into Georgia and the Carolinas after making landfall overnight on Thursday.

Storm Helene: coastal surge and flash flooding risk

Insurers and financial institutions say damage caused by the storm could run into the billions of dollars. Roads and houses were submerged on Friday, with one family describing to BBC News how they had to swim out of their home to safety. Although Helene has weakened significantly, forecasters warn that high winds, flooding and the threat of tornadoes could continue. Helene, which had been a category four storm, came ashore on Thursday night and remained a hurricane for six hours after it made landfall, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said a storm surge – heightened water levels mostly caused by high winds blowing water towards shore – reached more than 15ft (4.5m) above ground level across parts of the Florida coast. The NHC said the surge should subside before the weekend but the threat from high winds and flooding would persist, including possible landslides. Up to 20in (50cm) of rain is still possible in places. The hurricane is the 14th most powerful to hit the US since records began. At approximately 420 miles (675 km) wide, it is behind only two other hurricanes – Ida in 2017 and Opal in 1996, both of which were 460 miles wide. Because of its sheer size, the impact of strong winds and heavy rain have been widespread across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. At least eight people have died in Florida since Friday, including at least five people in the coastal Pinellas County – which includes the city of St Petersburg – the county’s sheriff, Bob Gualtieri said. He added that the nearby coastline had “never, ever looked like this before”, describing it as like a “war zone”. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said one person died after a road sign fell on their car and another when a tree fell on a home. Hurricane Helene brings life-threatening conditions as it moves from Florida to Georgia

Reuters

After hitting Florida, the storm continued on a deadly path north into Georgia – leaving at least 15 dead – including a first responder, Governor Brian Kemp said. A suspected tornado that spawned in Wheeler County, central Georgia, left two people dead when it picked up and overturned a mobile home, authorities said. Kemp ordered 1,000 National Guard troops to help with rescue efforts across the state. The Georgia governor said on Friday that people were still trapped in buildings. In South Carolina, at least 17 people were killed, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. Neighbouring North Carolina saw at least seven fatalities in the storm, CBS News added. Governor Roy Cooper said one had been killed in a vehicle collision and another when a tree fell on a home in Charlotte. The state also saw two confirmed tornadoes, which damaged 11 buildings and injured 15 people, the National Weather Service said. One person was also killed in Virginia, the state’s governor, Glenn Youngkin, said at a news conference on Friday. Across the south-east, more than three million homes and businesses were without power as of Saturday morning, according to tracking site poweroutage.us. Ahead of the storm, 1,500 federal emergency personnel were deployed to the region, including 940 search and rescue specialists. At the same time, around 8,000 members of the US Coast Guard were assisting with rescue operations. In North Carolina alone, more than 100 rescues have taken place, Cooper said. In Tennessee, 58 patients and staff were left stranded on the roof of a hospital in the city of Erwin on Friday. Swift-moving water from the Nolichucky river prevented boats from being able to conduct rescue operations, and high winds prevented helicopter rescue. The group was later taken to safety after helicopters from the Tennessee National Guard and the Virginia State Police intervened. In Pasco County, north of Tampa on Florida’s Gulf coast, 65 people were rescued. Guests at a Ramada Inn in Manatee County were also rescued as floodwaters rushed into the hotel. In Suwannee County to the north, authorities reported “extreme destruction”, with trees falling onto homes.

Getty Images Floating debris seen in Cedar Key, Florida

Along the Gulf Coast of Florida, Briana Gagnier told the BBC that she and her family saw water creeping into their home on Holmes Beach and started moving their belongings onto tables and beds before hearing a loud bang. “My family and I all looked at one another,” she said. “Then water just started pouring in.” Ms Gagnier said she grabbed her pets, her wallet and some portable chargers and swam out of their home with her family. The water was up to their shoulders. On Friday, President Joe Biden said: “As we mourn the lives of those who were taken by this storm, I urge folks to heed the direction of local officials and take every precaution to keep themselves and their families safe.” Officials have said the effects of the storm are “not over yet”, and urged residents to remain vigilant. Hurricanes need sea surface temperatures of more than 27C (80F) to fuel them. With exceptionally warm waters of the Gulf at 30-32C, the sea surface is about two degrees Celsius above normal for the time of year. Florida’s 220-mile Big Bend coast is where Hurricane Idalia made landfall in 2023. The area was also battered by Hurricane Debby last month. There could be as many as 25 named storms in 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned earlier this year. Between eight and 13 of those storms could develop into hurricanes and a handful already have including Helene. More storms could be on the horizon, officials warned, as the official end of hurricane season is not until 30 November.

Water levels in flood-ravaged parts of Texas are rising again as rain deluges sodden areas, leading officials to warn the threat is ‘far from over’.

The death toll from catastrophic flooding rose to more than 100 on Monday, as rescuers continued their grim search for people swept away by torrents of water.

Among the dead were at least 27 girls and counselors who were staying at a youth summer camp on a river when disaster struck over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Dozens more are still missing following the near-Biblical flash flooding that caught thousands of Lone Star residents by surprise.

Among the deceased so far are at least seven young girls, aged between eight and nine, whose summer camp in Hunt, Texas was swept away by the floods in the early hours of Friday morning. Rescue workers said at least 11 other campers are still missing.

So far 40 adults and 28 children have died in Kerr County alone, after the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in just 45 minutes, pounding local communities with flash flooding.

It comes after the Trump administration made major cuts to federal funding, impacting agencies like FEMA which lead the response to natural disasters.