A record rainfall paralyzed New York, causing a wave of floodwaters to rush through streets, basements and subways. The water rose so quickly that it caught some passengers by surprise as they boarded the subway during rush hour, CNN reported. First responders sprang into action, pulling people out of stranded cars and basements. Nearly 200 mm (8 inches) of rain fell in one day at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport for the first time since 1948. A month's worth of rain fell in Brooklyn in just 2 hours. Numerous videos on social networks show flooded basements and water pouring from the ceilings of apartments.