Drivers seen climbing out windows as floodwaters rise in Queens
WOODSIDE, Queens (WABC) -- Whenever the Tri-State gets hit with storms as powerful as Saturday, Queens always seems to get hit hard.
It is a recurring problem for New York City as certain roads and major thoroughfares are not able to handle a surplus of rain.
Earlier Saturday afternoon, on the intersection of the BQE and Queens Boulevard, people were seen climbing out the windows of their vehicles as floodwaters quickly rose and stranded them on the BQE. As one driver waited for help, there was not much to do but smoke a cigarette while standing on top of a box truck.
A few guys managed to get out of that truck and clung to the overpass wall as they sidestepped carefully to get to first responders who waited to grab them as the dirty floodwaters were right beneath.
On the Cross Island Parkway in Whitestone, cars drove through several inches of water. The traffic kept moving but it was not easy. Even city buses had to push through the water as if they were driving through a creek.
In Bayside, drivers were stranded on the Clearview Expressway. Drivers had nowhere else to go but into floodwaters. Some vehicles were partially submerged as rescuers waded through the flooding to help drivers get out.
Avery Wilmont said the flooding made for a traffic nightmare.
"The traffic was all backed up," Wilmont said.
He adds that his partner now has some water damage to his car.
In New Jersey, storms knocked out power, flooded streets and forced cancellations and delays at Newark Airport.
Many businesses also faced a large-scale cleanup due to rainfall.
