Flash floods swamped New York City on Saturday, July 18, just hours before the World Cup final, submerging cars and streets and pouring water into the subway system, causing widespread travel chaos.
Subway and Road Disruptions
Social media footage captured the scale of the disruption, with commuters and drivers documenting severe conditions across the boroughs. "People are literally swimming," one woman can be heard saying in a video posted by Instagram account @subwaycreatures. In another video, posted by creator Taylor Prokes, people can be seen wading through a city neighbourhood with rubbish bags over their legs and water reaching their knees.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reported major service disruptions across the subway network as a result of runoff pouring onto the tracks. All lanes of the Long Island Expressway at 188th Street were temporarily blocked in both directions, while flooding also forced closures on the Clearview Expressway at Northern Boulevard, according to CNN. On a roadway above the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, multiple vehicles were left entirely submerged, forcing some people to wade through waist-high water.
Airport Delays and Cancellations
Flooding also caused severe delays at airports including John F. Kennedy International, with some cancellations reported. A fire truck was seen ploughing through water to rescue drivers stranded on the hood of a truck, as shown in images from @ABC7NY.
Impact on World Cup Preparations
The extreme weather disrupted preparations for the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, which kicked off at 8am UK time. Argentina were due to take to the practice field at the Red Bulls Performance Center in Morristown, New Jersey at 11.30am local time on Saturday. A major thunderstorm hit the area just before their scheduled start time, delaying their training by 45 minutes. They eventually got out on the pitch, while Spain were unable to train altogether.
Personal Accounts
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart shared a video of himself walking barefoot through the flooded streets amid the rainstorm. "Shoes are off, trainers are ruined," he said in the post on Instagram.
