This archive report was first published on 2 September 2021.
On September 1, 2021, Hurricane Ida brought catastrophic flooding to New York City, with torrential waters cascading through basement doors and windows, turning everyday spaces into death traps.
Deborah Torres, a resident of Woodside, Queens, recalled hearing the desperate pleas of a family trapped in their basement, including a toddler, as the water rushed in around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
Ms. Torres said she heard the family frantically call out to their neighbor, Choi Sledge, who pleaded with them to flee, but it was too late. The powerful water surge made it impossible for anyone to reach the family downstairs.
Tragically, the family did not survive.
Another victim of the flood was Darlene Lee, 48, who was pinned between the steel front door and the door frame of her basement apartment in Central Parkway, Queens. The water burst through a glass sliding door, filling the apartment with about six feet of murky water.
Patricia Fuentes, the property manager, and Jayson Jordan, the assistant super, along with handyman Andy Tapia, jumped through the broken glass door to try and save Ms. Lee, but it was too late. She was killed by the storm.
In Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, Ricardo Garcia was awakened by a surge of water that exploded through the door of his shared basement apartment at about 10:15 p.m. The water rose rapidly, reaching his knees, waist, and chest in a matter of moments.
Mr. Garcia and his roommate, Oliver De La Cruz, managed to escape, but another neighbor, Roberto Bravo, 66, was trapped in his basement apartment. Despite the desperate pleas for help, the water was too powerful, and Mr. Bravo did not survive.
His neighbor, Roxanna Florentino, who has lived in the building for 18 years, was left shaken by the tragedy. She recalled hearing Mr. Bravo's cries for help, but it was too late. The water had risen so forcefully that it tore off the door and broke through the ceiling, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
