Rain slows and floodwaters recede, but New Yorkers' anger grows

Flood water begin to recede, but anger grows for many New Yorkers

NEW YORK -- There was frustration Friday from New Yorkers who were dealing with flooded basements and damaged property.

Storm drains simply could not keep up with the pounding rain earlier in the day.

The water has since subsided, but the flooding was so bad one restaurant owner told CBS New York she would have had to swim through the street to reach her front door.

Instead, she watched the water rise on her surveillance cameras, and by the time the flood went down, her outdoor dining structure had been washed away.

That's just one New Yorker's story, but this storm reached everyone.

READ MORE: Mayor Eric Adams, Chancellor David Banks defend decision to keep NYC Public Schools open during torrential downpour

Whether you were driving on the FDR or chasing waterfalls on the subway, you were almost certainly affected by the unending downpour in New York City on Friday.

Commuters struggled to get to and from work, with most subway lines disrupted and Metro-North fully suspended for hours out of Manhattan.

"There are 3,500 buses out there. They are rolling, getting to their destinations. Only a couple have been stranded. Overwhelmingly, they're the lion's share of our mass transit right now," MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said.

New Yorkers were urged to stay home, but even home wasn't safe for many basement apartments in Brooklyn, as sewer systems backed up and poured out of people's toilets and tubs.

"Laptops were destroyed, mattresses were destroyed, furniture destroyed, not to mention all the issues with the sanitation concerns," Williamsburg resident Thomas Trevisan said.

"The water actually comes back in through the main sewer line into the basement. Instead of going out, it comes in and shoots out like a freakin' geyser," added Kelly Hayes, owner of Gowanus Garden Restaurant.

On Friday morning, sewage filled her restaurant's basement, and outside floodwaters peaked at over 3 feet, drowning her outdoor dining structure and leaving it in pieces.

"It's gonna cost me $5,000 to $10,000 just to have the garbage hauled away, so that's not even building my business back," Hayes said.

Hayes said by the time she got any kind of emergency alert from the city, it was too late.

"Like the flash flooding is happening now, and we were already under water," Hayes said.

READ MORE: Hundreds of flights canceled and delayed after storm slams New York City

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams are now criticizing Mayor Eric Adams for what they call his lack of urgency before the storm.

"If you're gonna send us some information the night before, you should probably prep to have a press conference in the early morning so we can update people on where we are," Williams said.

Adams said his administration sent out notifications on Thursday afternoon.

"You were broadcasting this storm that was coming. One would have to be under a rock to not know the storms were coming in the city and we continue to use social media, all forms of notification," the mayor said.

READ MORE: Flooding allowed one New Yorker a small taste of freedom — a sea lion at the Central Park Zoo

After the remnants of Hurricane Ida slammed our area in 2021, many hoped the worst flooding was behind us. But Friday was another day of unprecedented weather here in New York City.

"We at the state and city need to move faster to do storm water infrastructure and improve our response with climate," Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher said.

By City Hall's count, three people had to be rescued from basements and 15 people were rescued from their apartments on Friday. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.

As for Hayes' restaurant, well, she hopes to be back open next week, but said the damage will likely set her back $30,000.

In:
• Brooklyn
• Eric Adams
• New York City
• Flooding
• Flash Flooding
• Jumaane Williams

Ali Bauman

Ali Bauman joined CBS2 News as a general assignment reporter in 2016. Ali is a proud millennial who embraces social media for storytelling to bring news to a new generation of viewers.

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