By: Tom Buchanan

The City reported that New Yorkers were grappling Friday with the aftermath of a sudden, torrential downpour that claimed two lives in Brooklyn and Manhattan — marking the first flood-related deaths in the city since Hurricane Ida in 2021. Ida’s remnants had killed 13 people, including 11 trapped in basement apartments.

In East Flatbush, a three-story building on Kingston Avenue was left without heat, hot water, or electricity after floodwaters engulfed its basement. According to former building owner Kenneth Oates, a 39-year-old man entered the basement during the storm to rescue one of his dogs and never returned. “He went for one dog and he never came back,” Oates said. “He gave away his life.”

The Department of Buildings issued a vacate order for the cellar, and Con Edison shut off power at the Fire Department’s request because the basement was completely submerged. FDNY divers recovered the man’s body around 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Four residents, all Caribbean, said he had been living in a tent in the flooded basement and acting as the building’s caretaker.

Residents, including children, spent Friday morning without basic utilities. “No power, no gas, no heat, no water today,” said tenant Stacy-Ann Morrison. “The landlord is nowhere to be found.” Public records list 564 Kingston BH Mazal LLC as the owner; The City was unable to reach them.

Shanna, a three-year resident, noted that flooding has been a recurring issue on that block. “Ask the city to fix the flooded area and clean the drain,” she said. Meanwhile, the Red Cross offered temporary shelter to more than a dozen tenants, though some considered staying in the building. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development is in the process of issuing a full vacate order.

In Washington Heights, Juan Carlos Montoya Hernández, 43, died in the boiler room of a West 175th Street building. He was electrocuted while attempting to pump out floodwater, officials said. Medics and police worked in the still-inundated basement on Friday as neighbors mourned. Residents affectionately called him “El Mexicanito.”

“He was a good man, hardworking,” said tenant Jhosmeily Hernández. Nearby Italian market owner Indira Martínez recalled Montoya Hernández treating her daughter to snacks and capturing a warm moment on security cameras just days before his death. Employees of a local bodega created a small memorial with flowers, candles, and a photo reading, “R.I.P. Carlitos.”

Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa called the death “heartbreaking,” emphasizing the toll on local communities. Building owner GVS Properties, LLC issued a statement expressing sadness and pledging full cooperation with the investigation.

The intense rainfall overwhelmed the city’s sewer system. Between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday, over 800 flooding reports were submitted to 311. Forecasts had predicted 1.5 to 2 inches of rain over eight hours, but an inch fell in just 10 minutes, four times the system’s typical capacity.