Flooding lingers in Brooklyn neighborhoods after heavy rain
Residents across Brooklyn spent another day keeping an eye on rising water as heavy rain moved through the borough early Sunday.
More Stories
Residents across Brooklyn spent another day keeping an eye on rising water as heavy rain moved through the borough early Sunday.
The weather prompted threats of flash flooding and renewed concerns in some of the city's most flood-prone neighborhoods.
While the rainfall did not reach the severity of some recent storms, many Brooklyn residents said the impact of repeated downpours continues to take a toll on homes, businesses and daily life.
For Jules Wernersbach, co-founder of Hive Mind Books & Coffee in Bushwick, rainy weather often means fewer customers walking through the door.
"The number one factor when I see it's a rainy day and it's going to be heavy rain is that we're going to have a slow day. It's going to hurt business," Wernersbach said.
After two decades working in retail, Wernersbach says the last several years have been especially difficult as storms have become more frequent and intense.
This summer alone has left visible damage at the shop.
"The landlord had to reseal the front of the building this year because rain kept coming in," Wernersbach said. "We had some water damage. It compromised the drywall. We can't hang our plants anymore. The water will come in through the windows."
The latest round of rain comes as New York City continues to prepare for flooding risks. From Saturday night into Sunday morning, the city opened 51 weather shelters at schools for residents vulnerable to floodwaters, particularly those who live in basement apartments in neighborhoods that include Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Canarsie.
Although the rain moved out of Brooklyn by Sunday afternoon, residents and business owners alike said the challenges left behind by repeated storms continue long after the skies clear.
