Two fatalities reported after intense rainfall in New York City
A low-pressure system moving through the mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States brought nearly 76 mm (3 inches) of rainfall to the New York region on October 30, 2025, causing flash floods that left two people dead after becoming trapped in flooded basements. The rain was predicted to fall over a period of eight hours but instead arrived in an intense, 20-minute downpour.
Severe flooding in New York on October 30,2025. Image credit: ml_buckely
Heavy rainfall triggered by a low-pressure system over the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast killed two people in New York on Thursday, October 30.
The first fatality was a 39-year-old man who was found dead after becoming trapped in his flooded basement on Thursday afternoon. Firefighters received a call for assistance at around 16:25 local time (LT).
Firefighters found the man drowned in his basement upon arrival at his home in East Flatbush near Crown Heights. A scuba team was deployed to recover the victim’s body from the flooded basement. He was transported to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to local media outlet NYScoop, the victim reportedly drowned while attempting to save his dog from the flooded basement. The outlet shared a video of the firefighters carrying the victim away through calf-deep water on the street.
Brooklyn: Kingston Avenue & Rutland Road, a man tragically drowned this afternoon inside a basement in Crown Heights as a powerful storm swept through New York City, causing massive flooding across several neighborhoods throughout the city.. According to reports, the victim went… pic.twitter.com/NQB3dO16w0
— NYC Scoop (@NY_Scoop) October 31, 2025
The second fatality was reported at around 16:44 LT in Manhattan. The man was found dead in a flooded boiler room of an apartment building in Washington Heights.
The fatalities occurred while a Flash Flood Warning was in effect for Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and parts of Manhattan.
Parts of New York and the surrounding areas received nearly 76 mm (3 inches) of rainfall through Thursday. The heaviest rainfall was recorded near Greenwich in Fairfield County, with a total of 75.7 mm (2.98 inches). Meanwhile, Fordham in Bronx County recorded 59.4 mm (2.34 inches) of rain during the day.
The rain was predicted to fall over a period of 8 hours. Instead, much of it arrived in an intense, 20-minute downpour that began at about 15:30 LT, said Aries Dela Cruz, a spokesman for the city’s Emergency Management agency.
The heavy rainfall and widespread flooding caused significant transport disruptions and flight delays.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) reported rescuing a person from a flooded car on 9th and Smith Street in Brooklyn, while water reached car door height in Midland and Riverdale, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Rain gauges at LaGuardia Airport showed 6.4 mm (0.25 inches) of rain fell in just 7 minutes and 26.4 mm (1.04 inches) in 50 minutes.
John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty airports reported average flight delays of around 3 to 4 hours due to severe weather.
References:
1 Public Information Statement (Rain Reports) – NWS – October 30, 2025
2 Preliminary Local Storm Report – NWS – October 30, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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