A powerful storm swept across the Northeast on Saturday, killing at least one person and knocking out power to about 100,000 customers.
Leighton Brown, a 56-year-old New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) employee, was killed in Brooklyn when a tree fell on him during the storm, NYCHA said.
“My thoughts are with his entire family as they deal with this unimaginable loss,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. “May he rest in peace, and may his service to our city never be forgotten.”
In a separate incident, fire officials said four people were hospitalized with minor injuries after a tree fell on them near a Sheepshead Bay playground. The city’s Parks Department said it had received more than 900 reports of damaged or fallen trees since Friday afternoon, though it cautioned that some may be duplicates.
New Jersey was particularly hard hit, with floodwaters swamping streets in coastal communities. Videos from the region showed people kayaking through flooded roads.
Brian Kelly, mayor of the small shore borough of Sea Bright, warned that water could reach six feet on some streets and compared the expected flooding to Hurricane Irene, which devastated the region in 2011.
“We do have probably one or two flooding events a year, sometimes more, sometimes less, but I think this one will be closer to an Irene-scale flooding event,” Kelly said. “I hope I’m wrong, but that’s my gut feeling.”
State and local officials had urged residents to prepare for dangerous conditions, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul declaring a state of emergency for Nassau and Suffolk counties, New York City, and Westchester County. “We’re expecting dangerous coastal flooding, strong winds and potential power outages through the weekend,” Hochul said. She also issued a blunt warning: “Anyone who goes in or near the water this weekend is literally gambling with their life.”
Mamdani urged New Yorkers to avoid travel, warning that the city would still feel the storm’s effects even as the heaviest rain passed offshore. “The storm is expected to pass offshore, keeping the heaviest rain east of New York City. But we should still prepare for gusty winds, rain, and some high-tide flooding beginning today, peaking Friday, and potentially continuing through Sunday,” he said ahead of the storm.
In New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill warned Saturday that a temporary break in the weather did not mean the danger had passed. “We may see a lull in some conditions today, but this storm is not over. We’re closely watching tonight’s high tide, so please stay vigilant and continue to follow local guidance.” The storm is expected to linger through Monday, prolonging the threat of flooding along the Northeast coast.