NYC hopes for best, braces for worst by opening 'safe overnight locations' amid stormy night

24/7 Live New York City New Jersey Long Island Northern Suburbs Connecticut WEATHER NYC hopes for best, braces for worst by opening 'safe overnight locations' amid stormy night By Sonia Rincón Wednesday, July 29, 2026 4:39AM Sonia Rincon has more on the shelters. KENSINGTON, Brooklyn (WABC) -- There are more than 50 "safe overnight locations" available for any New Yorkers needing shelter from the potential flooding rain from Tuesday night's storms.

P.S. 230 in Kensington, Brooklyn is one of the dozens of places the city has made available for anyone who gets flooded in the middle of the night and needs a safe place to go.

Summer storms have gotten more severe in recent years, and on Tuesday night, the city was hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

"We're always thinking about people that live in basement apartments," said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell.

If you live in a basement or just have a basement in the city that's gotten flooded like they did on 153rd Street in Flushing 10 days ago, the heavy rain that's forecasted to hit is exactly why the city is asking residents of all five boroughs to think about their flood risk.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani noted that "The risk is higher if you live in a basement or in an area that's already flooded."

"We have flood sensors, we have things so when it starts to rain, we can see where the rain may be hitting more. And then, you know, quickly deploying resources right there," Farrell said.

There are flood sensors in the area that was hit hard a week and a half ago. The heavy rain backed up the sewer system, but the sensors did alert the city to send help quickly. It was one of the areas people died in flooded basements after the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

Farrell says the department's operations center is monitoring where to deploy resources Tuesday night depending on who gets hit with heavy rain this time, and is coordinating with other agencies like the DEP and the Sanitation Department to be prepared.

"The agencies have been clearing catch basins, pre-positioning assets," Farrell said. "So, you know, we feel prepared. But these storms are always challenging, and we want to be on top of everything."

The mayor is asking those in those flood-prone spots to be prepared too, and "have a backpack ready with your medications, flashlight, batteries, portable charger, and your important documents in plastic bags. And think right now about where you'll go if the water comes in: with a neighbor on a higher floor or to one of the 51 shelters we're opening across the five boroughs."

P.S. 230 has been open since 8 a.m., and no one has needed it yet. Hopefully nobody will, but the mayor says these shelters will remain available as long as dangerous conditions persist.

You can find a map of the city's "safe overnight locations" here .

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