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Rockaways underwater as winter storm bears down on New York

Several feet of floodwater swamped the Rockaways Friday as a ferocious Christmas-weekend storm struck New York — leaving cars almost submerged and residents stranded or forced to wade through the streets in water up to their knees, dramatic photos and video show.

Footage captured by The Post shows NYPD officers rushing to the rescue of a woman and two children who became stuck on school bus surrounded by floodwater near Rockaway Beach Friday morning.

Other wild video posted on Twitter also shows people struggling to drive in what appears to be 2 to 3 feet of water — and one brave soul paddling down a street in a kayak.

Floodwater also crept up to residents’ doorsteps in Bell Harbor and one resident was shown wading across a street with water up to his knees in nearby Howard Beach, according to more footage on social media.

A kayaker was seen floating down the middle of a street alongside homes on East 8th Road near Rockaway Beach’s Broad Channel, one clip shows.

Flood waters swamped the The Rockaways with several feet of water as a storm hit the area.
Paul Martinka
police rescue
Police rescued two kids and a woman stranded in floodwater on a school bus.
Paul Martinka

On Friday morning, New York declared a state of emergency as Winter Storm Elliott — dubbed a “once in a generation” weather event —  descended on the region, bringing heavy wind, flooding  and rapidly plunging temperatures.

A powerful bomb cyclone — when atmospheric pressure drops quickly in a strong storm — was forecast to reach peak intensity on Friday.



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