30 Shocking Images Of New York Underwater
By Anna Collins
1 year ago
1. Flash floods caused severe damage in the city
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Storm Phillipe took New York completely unaware as nobody anticipated how much the flash floods would affect the city. Mayor Eric Adams came under fire for his slow response to the floods which caused major damage in the city which was severely unprepared.2. Submerged subway systems
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When New York City floods, the first places to really take the hit are the city's subway. The torrential rain recently turned the subways into waterfalls as the rain poured and flooded the areas. The same occurrence happened in 2021 after the tropical storm Ida.3. New Yorkers had to flee the gushing water
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City-goers found themselves having to flee the area as the water poured into the subway, causing the entire subway to shut down for days. People found themselves submerged in water and the entire city grounded to a halt as it was declared 'a state of emergency'.4. Concrete jungle vs. rising tides
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The flood reached new records as New York became completely submerged in water as the initial six inches of rain was followed by more... and more. In fact, it was a record since Hurricane Donna in 1960. The river banks around it couldn't handle the water and the entire area was covered.5. Streets were completely underwater
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The mayor announced on the evening of Friday night that New York was in trouble and that nobody should leave their house if possible as being outdoors was a risk to their safety and life. However, this announcement came when the situation was already urgent.6. Clinging on for dear life
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This photo really depicts just how frightening the situation was for the civilians of the city. People who were caught outdoors or who tried to travel found themselves in danger. At least 14 died during the floods, just 2 years after 13 people died during Hurricane Ida.7. Streets couldn't be seen for water
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The emergency has brought home the realization of the climate crisis to the city. The New York Commissioner stated that 'climate change is changing faster than our infrastructure can respond' which does not bode well for the state of affairs in the city.8. Cars were drifting down the streets
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When New York floods it truly floods as it has no ability to be able to deal with excess water. So, cars can be seen floating down streets as people find themselves having to exit and abandon their cars in order to get out safely and as quickly as possible.9. Some buildings were entirely destroyed
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Thousands and thousands of locals found themselves stranded as their homes were damaged beyond repair. So many people were displaced as a result of the flash floods as buildings became submerged and many became too damaged by water to repair as they were deemed structurally unsound.10. Underground NYC was entirely submerged
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The true realization of the scale of floods that the city has faced thus far is really highlighted in this photo when we see that the underground was so submerged that the water was street level, having filled the entirety of the underground section below.11. The 2023 flash floods were some of the worst the city has seen
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New York has a history since 2012 of having severe flooding. But, as of the last few years, this seems to be getting more and more frequent. The question bodes about the future and what is in store if climate change continues at such a dangerous pace.12. Thousands were left stranded
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Thousands and thousands of people were left stranded during the flooding. So many people were left unable to get to their homes with nowhere to go as they were isolated and unable to get back. And, some couldn't stay in their homes due to them being waterlogged.13. Emergency services struggled to contend with the floods
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Emergency requests and calls were at an all-time high. Emergency services from nearby states had to be put into action to try and help the city's situation. But then there was the problem of getting to the people in order to help them when many emergency services found themselves stranded.14. The whole city was covered in water
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There weren't many places during the previous New York floods that managed to escape from zero water damage aside from buildings or floors that were high up. But the majority of the city found themselves dealing with some kind of water damage, from mild to severe.15. Flood rats on Pacific Street in Brooklyn
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Aside from the shock of pouring water were the flood rats which were spotted by various people. The rats which are usually present in the city became more apparent by the fact that nobody else was on the streets. People weren't moving, vehicles were stopped, and the only things left roaming were the city's rats.16. Residents were warned to stay indoors
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As you can see, the city was unsafe for days to come. Once the water had eventually cleared from the city the damage became visible and the dirt covered the roads and debris was left scattered around the entire city as it had been washed up by flood water.17. Apocalyptic scenes
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During New York floods there have been cases where the flooding became so severe that divers had to be sent down to investigate the scenes in the subway as these were some of the worst affected areas. The city was described by some as an apocalyptic scene.18. Is this the future?
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This photograph is, of course, a photoshop of what New York could possibly look like in 8 years. Floods have been predicted to become a concurring problem and experts are worried that the city could become completely submerged in just a few years. Do you think it will come to this?19. Streets turned to rivers
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Streets could no longer be seen. Street markings were buried under inches or in some cases feet of water. Sidewalks, roads, and the like simply became one river. It took days and days to properly clear the water from the streets and weeks until the city was somewhat normal again.20. People had to be evacuated
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This photo shows two dozen people being evacuated after being left stranded by the floods. People had to be rescued from buildings, homes, and vehicles, and from being on the streets with no shelter or protection. Boats were working all day and night to try and rescue the city's citizens.21. An old subway turned into a marine habitat
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This subway was deserted many years ago after it was ruined during the floods. This subway in particular was beyond salvaging and remained a kind of underwater section of the city which has been reclaimed by nature and turned into a habitat for marine life.22. Only boats could pass the streets
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The only way around the city safely at this time was by boat. Not only in 2023 but years prior, boats became the means of transportation in the city for a brief time while the water cleared. Boats circulated the city to find stranded people and take them to safety.23. Divers deep into the aqueduct
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Here is an old photo of incidents when New York had been flooded and divers had to enter into an aqueduct that went deep under the ground of the city - hence why there is no light. The dangerous voyage had to be made to see the consequences and solutions for the city.24. The destruction was vast
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This picture depicts Port Arthur Harvey completely flooded. The inside building has been turned into a lake as people climb to the higher parts of the room to get away from the water. The water was also very dirty from the city's dirt and caused problems with contamination!25. The force of the floods shocked everyone
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It wasn't only the quantity of the rain that shocked the city, it was how soon the amount of water fell and how powerful it caused the flash floods to be. So when the water came into the city the gushing water caused high-speed floods which were super dangerous and even deadly.26. It's projected to get worse and worse
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Could the end of New York be near? This is another hypothetical picture where the Statue of Liberty has been submerged underwater. While it may seem far-fetched right now, experts aren't sure whether in a decade or two this may seem so unrealistic. Scary, right?27. The city that never sleeps at a standstill
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New York has an image of being a city that never sleeps. We picture the hustle and bustle and neverending traffic and movement of New York. So to see New York like this seems like some kind of alternate reality where the city was stopped by floods of water.28. Billions of pounds worth of damage
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The damage was estimated to cost the city not thousands or millions but BILLIONS of pounds worth of damage. Buildings, homes, transportation systems, and more than we can comprehend, were all ruined or damaged. The city's entire infrastructure had been damaged by the flash flooding!29. Unrecognizable...
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For those who had witnessed the 2012 floods and the 2021 floods and now the 2023 floods, New York City has been unrecognizably submerged in water on various occasions. Yet each time was as terrible as the last. And you can see how the water covered the entire streets.30. Scenes of a devastated city
