The area around Bethesda Fountain flooded, making for a strange scene. Photo by Stephen Harmon.
The remnants of Hurricane Ida packed a shocking punch on Wednesday night, dropping more than 3 inches of rain on Central Park in less than one hour, a new record that eclipsed the prior record that was established just last month.
The hurricane and subsequent flooding killed several people in the region, and it unleashed other kinds of damage on the city. The Parks Department said it had crews checking on damage citywide and asked for patience as they survey and repair the damage. Flooding, sinkholes and destroyed trees are all over the place.
It wasn’t just in the parks. Branches came down on 89th Street too, as seen in this photo by Elizabeth.
And flooding impacted the West Side Highway, like in these photos of the exit ramp at 96th Street by @jdpink.
In Central Park, several trees came down. Stephen Harmon took the two photos below.
Jason Haber also surveyed the destruction.
Last night, Dinosaur Playground in Riverside Park near 97th became Dinosaur Lake as seen in these photos by Ben Jacoff.
Laura sent a photo of the sinkhole that opened up in the playground.
The Riverside Park Conservancy said several playgrounds were closed on Thursday, and part of the greenway was blocked.
IDA UPDATE: Hippo Playground (91st Street), Dinosaur Playground (97th Street) & Riverbank Playground (145th Street) are closed
Greenway is blocked @ 148th & 181st
Many trees & limbs fell – NYC Forestry Team is starting to address now. Please use caution if you visit the park! pic.twitter.com/3btepJ2b9s
— Riverside Park Conservancy (@RiversideParkNY) September 2, 2021
Those dinosaur “lake” photos are memorably eerie!
Lake Dinosaur and the Loch West Monster
The trees in the immediate vicinity of Hippo Park have been long neglected. The RPC and the Parks Department have prioritized the hardscspe of RSP at the expense of the landscape. Is there a lesson to be learned from Ida?
A lesson from Idea?
Yes: Don’t Live Near Water
The age of living near rivers and the ocean has passed, at least on the East and Gulf Coasts. And on the West Coast? Don’t live near forests. By Fire or Flood; our new 21st Century reality.
Mr. Braverman,
Why don’t you volunteer for The Red Cross or another organization that helps people who weren’t smart enough to live in a NYC high rise.
Or you can just laugh and feel superior to the people who live near water or forests.
Please don’t live near any trees. One might fall on your head.
You are aware, I hope, that the flooding was due to rain, not river or sea? To where would you suggest one relocate to avoid rain?
Not near water? Not near forests?
Enjoy Mars, I plan to stay here.
Is that really your takeaway from all of this??
Gee, no wonder kids today are so resentful and pessimistic.
Thanks, Boomers.
The exit @ 95 st on the highway floods in a drizzle.
So true. It’s the first thing I thought of when I read the caption. A drizzle suffices.
Are the goats still in RSP and if so, does anyone know how they fared?
I walked through Riverside Park yesterday from 110-123 and the goats are fine. They were all by the fence by 122nd. There were lots of branches down, but the park didn’t look flooded any longer.
We must pass Biden’s infrastructure bill now. Despite Manxhin’s opposition! I wonder how Manchin would react if IDa fell on his state!
WSR, where is Noah we need his Ark now…Carl Silverman
Friday 9/3 3:30 p.m.
Just back from a most pleasant walk in C.P.
1. Bethesda Fountain back to normal (flood water gone; tourists as usual);
2. Restored Naumburg Bandshell and adjacent
Literary Walk all fine;
3. Occasional muddy spots on other walkways, but no real problem.
Today, Labor Day Monday, the large tree uprooted by the storm is still as it fell, across the wall bordering the RSD sidewalk between 86th & 87th. An impressive sight:
Normandy:downed tree#2.jpg