NEW YORK CITY — Torrential rainstorms pummeled the U.S. East Coast on Thursday, triggering dangerous flash floods across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The sudden deluge caused major travel disruptions, including flight delays, submerged highways, and dramatic rescues of stranded motorists.

In New York, floodwaters surged through sections of key roadways and briefly swamped train stations, leading to shutdowns and delays throughout the transit system. Emergency services were deployed to assist drivers trapped in deep water on major highways from the Philadelphia metro area up through northern New Jersey and New York City.

Video footage from across the region shows cars partially submerged, water gushing down stairways in transit hubs, and first responders wading through chest-deep floodwaters.

Weather officials said the storms dropped several inches of rain in just a few hours, overwhelming drainage systems in many urban areas. Authorities urged residents to stay off roads and monitor alerts for continued flood risks as more rain was forecast into the evening.