Tornado hit Queens

Tornado hit Queens borough of New York City on 9/16 around 6pm.

At first I thought it was nothing severe because everything we saw out of our windows was quite strong wind causing waves of water in the air, blackened skies and it lasted just for about 5 min. Gone. Nothing. But almost immediately started sirens of emergency vehicles. From all directions. Again could be just regular storm, we have had a couple of it this year. But, after 30 min sirens still coming I started to worry about my car parked on the street I guess not only me.

Still didn’t want to go outside. After a helicopter with a projector had hung over our building for 10 min it got to me that it’s quite serious somewhere close to us. I checked traffic in goggle.maps and got a shock – no one time saw I all local streets black. Something was happening out there for sure. And we went to see it ourselves as many of you did.

That was something extraordinary by any measure! Many people will remember those 5 min of nature’s anger for long time: smashed cars, destroyed trees, damaged houses etc.

And below you’ll find photographs witnessing human weakness before nature’s power.

Reportage photograph of firefighters working on cleaning Woodhaven Boolevard in Queens, New York City

Tornado aftermath, night 9/16, fallen trees damaged cars

A car smashed by a branch of a tree during the storm

Photograph 0f tornado aftermath, night 9/16, traffic stopped for a few hours because of the fallen trees

Traffic allowed through the safety corridor after a few hours of waiting

Traffic moving through the safety corridor on Woodhaven Blvd in Queens, NYC

Morning 9/17 update:  more new pictures from around the Queens affected by the storm and tornado.

Photography of the tornado aftermath

You may cross the street now

Meteorologists said that the majority of the damage came from the macroburst in Queens. A macroburst is an intense gust of wind that pours down from a storm. According to the National Weather Service, the macroburst started in the Middle Village section of Queens and ended in Forest Hills, and was 8 miles long and 5 miles wide with winds up to 125 mph.

And that’s what we actually see here.

One of many damaged houses hit by fallen trees

Tornado crashed a lot of great trees that were a best feature if the area making it green and beautiful

Documentary photograph: power lines are down, houses without electricity

Do not park at bus stop?

Street closed by police because of the trees broken by storm on 9/16

Tree fell down in the morning in Juniper Valley Park and blocked the road almost entirely