Remnants of Hurricane Ida cause tornadoes, flooding in northeastern United States, New York state of emergency

Hurricane Ida, which killed at least seven people during its passage through the southern United States, has weakened but continues to cause bad weather. Several tornadoes and major floods were recorded, Wednesday 1^er September, in the northeast of the country.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency on Wednesday evening in the face of this “Historical meteorological event”. As well as the governor of the state of the same name, Kathy Hochul, wanting “Help New Yorkers affected by tonight’s storm”. Downpours fell on the economic and cultural capital of the United States, where the NWS tweeted several videos of flooded streets in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, making traffic impossible. Several roads have been cut, Notify NYC announced. Heavy rains and winds also swept through Westchester County, north New York, with many home basements inundated within minutes.

“Take shelter NOW. Flying debris will be dangerous for those who are not sheltered ”, tweeted Notify NYC, a New York City emergency communications program.

A surreal scene unfolded in Flushing Meadows, where rain swept over a well-covered tennis court, interrupting a US Open second round match between South African Kevin Anderson and the Argentinian Diego Schwartzman. Water has passed through all four corners of the hall’s retractable roof, put in place in 2018 to precisely allow matches to be played despite the rain.

At around 10:30 p.m., Newark Airport, one of the city’s three airports, also tweeted that “All flight activities were currently suspended”. At the end of August, New York and its region had already been affected by Hurricane Henri. The bad weather, on August 21, had prematurely ended the big concert given in Central Park, supposed to symbolize the return to a more festive life after the coronavirus pandemic.

State of emergency in New Jersey, tornado alert in several cities

In New Jersey, hit by torrential rains, a state of emergency was also declared by Governor Phil Murphy.

Several cities, including Philadelphia, have been placed on tornado alert by the National Weather Service (NWS). “This is a particularly dangerous situation. Please take cover if you are in the area of ​​a tornado alert ”, tweeted on Wednesday NWS Mount Holly.

Impressive tornadoes were also seen in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. In Annapolis, a city located about fifty kilometers from Washington, this meteorological phenomenon uprooted trees and knocked down electric poles.

Floods on the east coast

Hurricane Ida, downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, brought heavy rains in its wake, which caused extensive flooding on the east coast of the United States.

A 19-year-old has died and another is missing after a building flooded in Maryland on Wednesday, bringing Ida’s death toll to seven.

“Post-tropical cyclone Ida brings widespread heavy rains and flash floods that can represent a fatal risk along and near its path”, said the National Hurricane Center. Ida is then expected to continue her journey north, and head to New England on Thursday.

President Joe Biden will travel to Louisiana on Friday, where Hurricane Ida, which made landfall there on Sunday, destroyed buildings and left more than a million homes without electricity.