GenQ - For the not so straight individual

NEW YORK, NY - Around 6:30 a.m. yesterday morning a tornado touched down in southwestern Brooklyn amid a sudden and intense rainstorm that stalled much of the surrounding transit systems and knocked power out to a large number of residents.

The National Weather Service reports that the tornado touched down in the morning in the area of Bay Ridge. Traveling through the area, the tornado caused destruction by way of uprooting trees, tearing the roofs off of five brick row-houses, and overturning cars. The City Buildings Department reports that 32 families are left without shelter.

Only one fatality in Staten Island has been reported, while there is a current injury count of around six.

The biggest disruptions from this storm came from the power outages and the crippling of the city’s heavily-used subway system.

A Consolidated Edison spokesperson told The New York Times that about 4,000 customers were left without power as a direct result of the storm, but that many had their power restored shortly after. As of 3:00 p.m. local time, the estimate of customers left without electricity amid the hot and humid weather was around 800.

The Times stated last night that most subway lines are now operational, though the V and W lines are still suspended. Metro North Rail Lines is stating that most of their services are restored, and New Jersey Transit and Long Island Rail Road said that service was expected to return to normal quickly.

This huge disruption has led New York Governor Eliot Spitzer to order the Metropolitan Transportation Service to review what caused the failure of the subway system to handle the unexpected deluge, as this is the third time in seven months that heavy rains have disrupted transit service.

Photo Credit: Benny Snyder / The Associated Press