As the Northeast braced for Hurricane Sandy’s landfall on the southern Jersey Shore, New York City was bracing for the possibility of flooding in its so-called Zone A, areas of the city along the waterline where a hurricane of any size poses a flood risk. These areas include the waterline along the tip of Manhattan, around most of Staten Island, much of Long Island City in Queens, much of northwestern Booklyn and Brooklyn’s Upper Bay waterfront, as well as all of Coney Island, and much of the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. Dozens of evacuation centers have been established, mostly in schools, but there were few signs that residents were taking the mandatory evacuation of these areas seriously. Even as gusts easily topped 50 miles per hour, people inside these evacuation zones were seen taking photos and marveling at the coming storm.
Safety workers walk past the taped-up glass at Wally's Deli on upper Broadway in Manhattan.Jacey FortinPolice were blocking access to the Hudson River esplanade on the West side of Manhattan on Monday.Jacey FortinThe high precipitation in the region caused the Hudson River to rise along the West side of Manhattan on Monday while the high winds caused the water to roil and threaten parts of West side of Manhattan well above the Upper Bay. Jacey FortinThere were still plenty of New Yorkers and tourists milling around up and down the West side of the island. Jacey FortinSandbags were piled up around the entrance to the Bowling Green subway stop in Manhattan’s financial district, much of which was under a mandatory evacuation order. The city also covered many of the sidewalk vents with plywood or tarpaulin as a precaution against flooding of the underground metro. Angelo YoungThe normally bustling Bowling Green subway station just steps from the iconic Wall Street bull statue stood lonely as Hurricane Sandy churned toward the Jersey shore Monday afternoon. Eleazar David MeléndezA local merchant of the Tribeca neighborhood in lower Manhattan said he was keeping vigil on his café and preparing to cover his windows. Angelo YoungSailboats were hunkered down at the Financial District Yacht Basin in preparation for Hurricane Sandy’s landfall.Eleazar David MeléndezA sign informs residents of the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn that the park along the East River beneath the Manhattan Bridge is inside New York City’s Zone A evacuation zone and is closed until further notice. Angelo YoungThe waterline at Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood was in some place coming close to breaching embankments even before Monday night’s expected rise. Angelo YoungThe water was inches to ground level in Brooklyn’s Red Hook district.Angelo YoungSandbags were piled up at the doors of a pre-war commercial building in Brooklyn’s Red Hook district, just yards away from the rising waters of the Upper Bay. Eleazar David MeléndezTaxis from a cab rental agency beneath the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in Queen were some of the hundreds of cabs not being dispatched on Monday. By 2 p.m. two major tunnels were closed. Bridges were being closed to traffic toward evening as the storm gusts strengthened. Angelo YoungWater in Maspeth Creek, between Brooklyn and Queens, was inches from some of the lower parts of the embankment Monday afternoon. Eleazar David MeléndezPolice were positioning dinghies in Manhattan’s financial district in the event waters breach the tip of the island. Officers were shooing away gawkers on Monday afternoon, many of whom seemed indifferent to the yellow tape warning them to stay away. As the afternoon progressed, the cops were becoming more assertive. Eleazar David MeléndezSeveral cruise ships are stuck out at sea until the Port of New York reopens.Angelo Young
