Rare tornadoes strike New York City's Queens and Brooklyn boroughs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Shoreline residents of Queens and Brooklyn in New York City were clearing up the mess today left by two tornadoes that touched down on Saturday pushing over walls, lifting roofs and knocking out power. The weather also disrupted play in the final weekend of the nearby US Open tennis tournament.
Both the twisters, which struck within minutes of each other, were weak affairs barely registering on the Fujita scale. The first passed over the Breezy Point Surf Club not far from John F. Kennedy airport, tossing pool furniture and wrecking cabanas. The second came ashore in Brooklyn close to the Coney Island fair rides.
"It picked up picnic benches. It picked up Dumpsters," reported the Breezy Point club manager, Thomas Sullivan. Bob O'Hara found his television and other contents of the cabana he rents for the summer drench and suddenly exposed to the heavens. "We've got a new sunroof," he joked. "The TV was going to get thrown out anyway."
Both tornadoes first resembled water spouts as they crossed the sea before making landfall.
While tornadoes are a dangerous fact of life across the Midwest, New Yorkers hardly worry about them or see them. Even so a small twister was reported in July on Long Island and in September two years ago a pair of tornadoes similarly chewed up trees and roofs in Brooklyn and Queens.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments