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2d ago

NYC Basement Floods Kill Two After Record-Setting Downpour

A short, record-setting downpour overwhelmed drains built for slower storms.

Vehicles move through floodwater in New York City, U.S. October 30, 2025, in this still image obtained from social media video. Mariah Whitmoyer/via REUTERS
A cyclist rides through floodwaters during a rainstorm in New York, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/David Martin)
A person drives a car through a flooded street amid rains in New York, U.S., October 30, 2025 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. Abigail Ekue/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. VERIFICATION Location verified by the design of the buildings, the trees and road layout that matched the file and satellite imagery of the area Date verified by original file metadata and weather reports
Image

Overview

  • Police identified the victims as Aaron Akaberi, 39, in East Flatbush and Juan Carlos Montoya Hernandez, 43, in Washington Heights.
  • Both were found in flooded basement areas during the mid-afternoon squall, and the medical examiner will determine the causes of death.
  • Central Park recorded about 1.8 inches and LaGuardia about 1.97 inches for the day, with roughly an inch falling in about 10 minutes, breaking daily records.
  • The city’s drainage system, designed for about 1.75 inches per hour, was hampered by leaf-clogged catch basins, contributing to street, subway and airport disruptions.
  • City agencies continued drain-clearing and inspections, and the Department of Buildings issued a partial vacate order at the Brooklyn address after finding unsafe cellar conditions.