DRIVERS have been warned to stay put and avoid unnecessary travel after major roads were closed due to a traffic nightmare.
Commuters were blocked from entering a massive US city and forced to pull off the road when the drama unfolded on Monday.
Drivers were warned to stay home if they could after a traffic nightmare started on Monday (file photo)[/caption]
Flash flooding in New York City and areas of New Jersey stopped commuters in their tracks[/caption]
New York City and parts of New Jersey were under a flood warning Monday night after inches of rain suddenly dumped on drivers and subway commuters.
At least two people have died after a car in Plainfield, New Jersey, was swept away by the rising water in the height of the storm, officials confirmed to News 12.
The tragedy in that town came just weeks after two other residents died in a different horror thunderstorm.
“All of Plainfield grieves this latest loss,” the city’s Mayor Adrian O Mapp said.
“To lose four residents in such a short span of time is unimaginable.”
Terrifying viral videos have captured water gushing from subway stations and creeping into train cars as passengers climb onto chairs.
Traffic in and out of New York City was all but stopped after the Bronx River Parkway was nearly left underwater by the rains.
Westchester County, which is just north of the city, was also blocked from travel after southbound lanes on the Taconic State and Saw Mill River Parkway saw water pour onto roads.
Cars on the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive in Manhattan could be seen splashing through inches of rain after roads filled up, traffic camera video shows.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency on Monday because of “flash flooding and high levels of rainfall.”
“Please stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel,” he wrote on social media.
Several key subway lines were delayed and rerouted on Monday, but riders experienced normal commutes on Tuesday morning.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber said, “We have all of the subway lines operating, Metro-North, Long Island Rail Road.”
“People worked overnight, worked their tails off, to make sure that we could accommodate our customers this morning,” he told CBS News.
How to drive in the rain
DRIVERS caught in the rain should change their strategy immediately or else they could get caught in a nasty accident.
Here are a few tips for staying safe in wet weather.
- Turn off cruise control, as the feature can cause a loss of traction
- Slow down your speed and leave room between cars in case you hydroplane
- Be prepared to skid carefully – if your car starts to slide on the road, avoid slamming on the brakes and calmly continue steering in the direction you want the car to go
- Know that tires can lose contact with the road in as little as 1/12 inch of water
- Never drive into six inches or more of standing water
Lieber explained that the sewer systems in the city can only accommodate “about an inch and a half to an inch and three-quarters an hour.”
On Monday night, a whopping two inches of rain poured in less than an hour, causing the sewers to pour out water onto the streets.
New York City residents who lived in ground-level or below-ground apartments were warned to prepare to evacuate to higher levels.
Locals are also urged to prepare a “go bag” with essentials in case they have to dodge the disaster.
“Avoid flooded areas. Never walk or drive into water,” the NYC Emergency Management said.
“Turn around, don’t drown.”
