New York City Nor'easter leaves flooding and over 1,000 downed trees

A severe nor’easter battered New York City over the weekend, bringing relentless rain, gusty winds, and coastal flooding that lingered into Monday morning, according to reporting from Ny1. The storm began Saturday and continued through Sunday, affecting communities across the five boroughs as municipal agencies rushed to respond to widespread damage.

The worst of the coastal flooding concentrated in neighborhoods along the water, including Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, and Broad Channel in Queens, as well as South Beach on Staten Island. In Hamilton Beach, steady and sometimes heavy rain Sunday flooded parts of the neighborhood, prompting red cones along 164th Avenue near 104th Street to warn drivers away from impassable streets. While many residents prepared ahead of time due to the area's flood history, others suffered property damage. Laura Werner, a Hamilton Beach resident, explained her precautions:

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"I moved my car, this one car, all the way up the block, 'cause we went through Sandy down here and we know what high tides are like"

Laura Werner, Hamilton Beach resident, via Ny1

The Choudry family, which has lived in Hamilton Beach for two years, was not as fortunate. Waasif Choudry reported that about eight inches of water entered their basement on Davenport Court after their water pump failed under the intense water volume.

"The intensity of the water was so much that our pump, the water pump stopped working and the water started flooding in. There was about 8 inches of water"

Waasif Choudry, Hamilton Beach resident, via Ny1

Despite the inundation, firefighters with the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department noted that many residents appeared well-prepared, allowing them to avoid conducting many water rescues.

Winds caused widespread destruction across the city. NYC Emergency Management reported late Sunday that crews were working through more than 1,008 reports of downed trees across the five boroughs. NYC Parks crews operated on 12-hour shifts for a fourth straight day as part of the city's Downed Tree Task Force.

Tragically, a longtime maintenance worker was struck and killed by a large falling tree while walking through a parking lot at the Cypress Hills Houses in East New York on Saturday. Authorities identified the worker as Leighton Brown, 56. New York City Housing Authority officials expressed deep sadness over the loss, issuing a statement that they were "deeply saddened by this tragic loss," and extended its condolences to Brown’s family and the NYCHA community.

In another incident in Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon, a falling tree branch at Kelly Park Playground in Homecrest injured four people, including two children. Police reported that a 7-year-old girl suffered a broken arm, while a 1-year-old boy suffered a cut to his cheek. Two women, ages 40 and 41, suffered injuries to the head and wrist, and all four were taken to a hospital in stable condition.

The storm also produced peak wind gusts of up to 45 mph citywide Saturday and up to 55 mph at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The high winds prompted restrictions for certain trucks on Metropolitan Transportation Authority bridges and tunnels, while motorists were urged to use caution on several bridges. At one point Sunday morning, approximately 2,500 customers lost power, according to NYC Emergency Management.

The nor'easter was expected to weaken Monday, but showers and minor impacts were expected to continue.

The Downed Tree Task Force remained active Monday, while the FDNY maintained an enhanced posture in the Rockaways and Howard Beach.