Debby drops heavy rainfall on east coast leaving level 4 flood alert

Traffic in New York was affected Wednesday as heavy rains left flooding across the city. Up to four inches of water accumulated on the streets, trapping vehicles on several of the city´s streets. 

The situation worsened when the storm also brought down several trees in the city, which caused damage to street furniture and vehicles parked nearby. 

The flooding of the roads, and the consequent blockage of traffic, forced emergency services to intervene and rescue several people from their vehicles, surrounded by water. According to the New York Post, services intervened on the Henry Hudson Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway. 

Emergency services received 136 calls for abandoned vehicles by 9 p.m. On Tuesday, there were 68 calls for sewer backups, 55 calls for sinkhole complaints and 16 calls for street flooding. 

This heavy rainfall was in part caused by the passage of Hurricane Debby, which began its southward march after making landfall, but drove rain fronts toward the north coast. 

Level 4 alert in the Carolinas and Georgia

Flood Hazard Warnings remain in effect for the Carolinas and Georgia. The advancing storm front slowed in the south and this may cause precipitation to concentrate there. The storm is expected to deliver rainfall of up to two feet;

For this reason, the flood risk is at level 4, the highest threat on its scale, for this Wednesday and Thursday in parts of southeastern Georgia, eastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina. The risk will continue its slow move northward each day as Debby slowly meanders near the southeast coast.