Deadly Storm Batters U.S. Northeast, Disrupting Flights And UN Gathering

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

NEW YORK, USA (Worthy News) – A deadly, powerful storm crept along the U.S. Northeast coast, disrupting world leaders gathering in New York and devastating the livelihoods of ordinary Americans.

The nor’easter—a powerful storm that typically brings strong northeasterly winds to the U.S. East Coast—triggered flooding, knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of homes and businesses and disrupted hundreds of flights.

In Brooklyn, New York, a 56-year-old man was struck and killed by a falling tree, the first confirmed fatality linked to the storm, according to police.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani identified him as Leighton Brown, an employee of the New York City Housing Authority.

The storm also affected New York as world leaders and diplomats gathered for the United Nations General Assembly, with strong winds prompting the U.N. to order media organizations to remove broadcasting equipment from outside its headquarters.

STORM HITS NEW YORK

New York City authorities issued a travel advisory and urged residents to limit unnecessary travel during severe weather, warning of heavy rain, coastal flooding and potentially damaging winds.

Residents in low-lying areas were urged to avoid flooded roads, while those living in vulnerable basement apartments were told to be prepared to move to higher floors if conditions became dangerous.

Across the region, about 100,000 customers were without electricity at one point Saturday as powerful winds brought down trees and power lines.

In Egg Harbor Township in New Jersey, nine adults and a dog were rescued from flooded motel rooms, while other coastal communities reported flooded streets and properties.

Tens of millions of people were in the storm’s path from the Mid-Atlantic states through New England as forecasters warned that dangerous conditions could continue through Monday.

COASTAL FLOODING

“There will be a lot of high winds, a lot of high tides and heavy rain possibility over the next few days for the northeastern U.S.,” said Bob Oravec, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.

Forecasters expected roughly 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 centimeters) of rain from the Philadelphia area into eastern New Jersey, while parts of Long Island and southern New England could receive 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 centimeters).

Coastal areas faced some of the worst conditions, with high winds pushing large waves ashore and flooding streets, homes and businesses.

On Long Island, New York, residents were seen kayaking through flooded streets, while severe flooding also affected communities along the New Jersey coast.

In Surf City, New Jersey, marina owner Kenny Formica watched surveillance cameras as water rose inside his business, something he said had rarely happened since Hurricane Sandy devastated the region in 2012.

LIVELIHOODS HIT

Workers had secured boats and equipment and moved vehicles to higher ground before the storm, but Formica said customers later reported boats and personal watercraft missing.

One customer’s 25-foot (7.6-meter) boat, valued at about $150,000, was blown from its lift.

“This is like an 8,000-pound boat and, you know, a $150,000 boat—just gone,” Formica said.

The storm also caused widespread travel disruption, with hundreds of flights canceled and thousands delayed across the United States.

Boston Logan International Airport was among the hardest hit, with hundreds of cancellations, while most flights serving the popular Massachusetts island destinations of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket were also canceled.

FLIGHTS CANCELED

The storm forced organizers to cancel major events, including the Global Citizen Festival and All Things Go NYC in New York.

British singer Ed Sheeran canceled concerts at Gillette Stadium near Boston, while Major League Baseball altered the schedule of the Boston Red Sox-Chicago Cubs series due to severe weather.

Wind gusts along parts of the New Jersey and Delaware coasts were forecast to reach around 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), with some observations exceeding 70 mph (113 kph).

New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned that coastal flooding posed the greatest threat, alongside heavy rain, powerful winds and waves potentially reaching 20 feet (6 meters).

The unusually early timing of the nor’easter increased the danger because many trees were still covered in leaves, making them more vulnerable to powerful winds, especially in rain-saturated soil.

Forecasters said the storm could stall or meander near the coast through Monday, prolonging flooding, high winds and dangerous coastal conditions before finally moving away Tuesday.