A 2-year-old child. A 22-year-old man. A 48-year-old woman. This is what we know about the victims so far.
Rescues from between 15 and 20 subway trains took place overnight after a “regional emergency” has “hit the entire transportation system,” according to the head of New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority.
The subway system flooded in 46 locations, and crews continue to inspect infrastructure and work on drain rainfall, the MTA said in a statement at 4:15 a.m. ET.
Janno Lieber, the acting chair and CEO of the MTA, told CNN that roughly 15-20 subway trains were stranded during the “historic rainfall,” and emergency teams rescued individuals over several hours.
Hundreds of trains were operating in the subway as “one-hour historic rainfall overtook everybody,” Lieber said to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
The rescues were done successfully with no injuries, Lieber said, and they “took a couple of hours” in tandem with FDNY and NYPD.
The most important thing is we did get people out safely,” he said, adding that the situation was a “regional emergency that’s hit the entire transportation system.”
Approximately 65 buses were blocked or stuck, but all passengers were cleared, the MTA said.
Continued disruption: Lieber said “we’re bringing service up” on the MTA, and a number of lines already have been restored.
Commuter rail lines are operating with extremely limited service due to “major power issues” and “mudslides.” Lieber is discouraging commuters from traveling on those lines.
Metro North will be out “most of the day.”
The LIRR is “constrained” as well.
The MTA will normalize toward the end of the day.
Long Island Rail Road, which services transit to Manhattan, is expected to have delays and cancellations. Service is suspended between the transport hub in Queens and Atlantic Terminal as crews are on scene to pump water.
Customers from two stranded Metro North trains have been rescued. Officials are assessing the system and working to restore service as quickly as possible.
