At least 8 deaths as Hurricane Ida’s remnants hit Northeast

The New York City region awoke Thursday to debris-strewn downtowns, soggy basements and crippled transit after a “historic” overnight downpour from the remnants of Hurricane Ida killed at least eight people.

The storm dropped more than 5 inches of rain in Central Park in a three-hour period Wednesday. Newark, New Jersey, saw 8 inches, making it the wettest day on record.

Eight people ranging in age from 2 to 86 died in New York City, and a man in his 70s died in Passaic, New Jersey, after he was trapped in a car in rising floodwaters.

“This is on par with Hurricane Irene,” Mayor Ravi Bhalla, of Hoboken, New Jersey, told CNN. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Mr. Bhalla said the number of 911 calls has been “overwhelming,” and parts of the town that typically do not flood were submerged overnight. He asked people to work from home if they can on Thursday.Scott 

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio dubbed it a “historic weather event,” and the Metropolitan Transit Authority warned commuters that service was “extremely limited” early Thursday.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy pleaded with motorists to give workers space as they cleared debris, water and branches from roadways.

“Please stay off the roads. Many roads remain flooded this morning. It is not safe to drive,” Mr. Murphy tweeted. “Our crews are working to clear and open roads, and we need everyone to stay off them so crews can safely do their job.”