Wild Footage: Raging Floodwaters Wreak Havoc on NYC Subway System, Strand Riders
A severe storm brought an intense downpour to new York City, resulting in significant flooding throughout the subway system. The city recorded over 2 inches of rain in a single hour, making it the second wettest hour in its history, just behind the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in 2021. This extreme rainfall overwhelmed the sewer and stormwater systems, which are designed to handle only about 1.5 to 1.75 inches per hour, causing water to back up into subway stations and tunnels. Multiple subway lines experienced delays or complete service suspensions due to the flooding, with some stations, like 23rd Street, seeing water rise from floor grates. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) pumped out approximately 16 million gallons of water, but flooding caused widespread disruption, damage, and frustration among commuters who described the conditions as disastrous and unsafe. the incident highlighted ongoing infrastructure challenges for New York’s transit system during heavy rain events.
A massive downpour Monday left the New York City subway system a flooded mess.
“It was a disaster,” said subway rider Juan Luis Landaeta, a veteran of 12 years on the New York City subways, according to the New York Times.
It began with a historic storm.
“New York City picked up a hair over 2 inches last night — 2.07 inches to be exact — making it the second wettest single hour ever recorded in the city,” Fox Forecast Center meteorologist Christopher Tate said, according to the New York Post.
🚨Absolutely unreal scenes coming out of New York & New Jersey from the flash flooding. This isn’t a movie.
Subways becoming waterfalls and cars floating down highways in New York & New Jersey.
The power of these flashfloods is diabolical.
[Other areas with historic flash… pic.twitter.com/gLNFHcAYQJ— Ted (@TedRomig) July 15, 2025
“It was bested only by the nearly 3 inches of rain that fell in New York City during the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in 2021,” he said.
As a result, multiple subway lines saw service slow to a crawl while on others service was suspended until the water receded.
Wow. Torrential rain is flooding NYC subway stations as powerful storms sweep through the area.
— Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) July 15, 2025
“The New York City sewer system, the storm water system, accommodates about an inch and a half to an inch and three quarters an hour. Last night, in that one hour, we had well over 2 inches of rain. So what happens is the system backs up into the subway,” Metropolitan Transit Authority Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, according to CBS.
New York City has blown over $7 billion taking care of illegal immigrants—yet they can’t even give you a halfway decent subway so you can get your ass to work. Meanwhile, they bleed you dry with taxes and throw your money at garbage that does nothing to make your life better. pic.twitter.com/0iYUV4XOwk
— DSTN Club (@dstnclub) July 15, 2025
Lieber said the MTA pumped about 16 million gallons of water from the subways.
But before it was done, water was everywhere.
“When it rains here in New York, it sucks. I don’t know what is going on. The drainage, I mean, look at this. God forbid if someone slips and falls in this,” one rider said.
“It’s super frustrating. People just want to go home,” another rider said. “These are not the conditions that New Yorkers deserve to be traveling in.”
Ah yes, the New York City subway on a rainy day—because nothing says “world-class city” like flooded platforms and trains. pic.twitter.com/KVHtjntGUz
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) July 15, 2025
At the 23rd Street station, water came up from a grate in the floor, according to the New York Post.
Elsewhere, water flooded the cars.
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