NYC's Subway Flooding Not Fluke, But Reality For Cities In Warming World

"Global warming is driving dangerous and disruptive flooding in underground rail systems around the world. Flooded tunnels and stations have disrupted service and stranded passengers in Boston, London, San Francisco, Taipei, Bangkok, Washington, D.C., and a host of other cities in recent years.

But the problem has taken on added urgency this summer, with multiple, high-profile subway floods driven by summer rainstorms.

Overnight, the remnants of Hurricane Ida flooded much of the New York City subway. Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a travel ban and warned residents to "stay off subways" as up to 10 inches of rain fell in some parts of the region in a matter of hours.

It is the third time New York's subways have flooded this summer and the first time the National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency warning for the city. Heavy rain has also repeatedly swamped underground tracks in Boston."

Rebecca Hersher reports for NPR September 2, 2021.

Source: NPR, 09/03/2021