A pair of Brooklyn and a Manhattan resident, who were also handy men for their own buildings, lost their lives during Thursday's intense rainstorm in NYC.
Aaron Akaberi, 39, was last seen entering his flooded basement apartment at Kingston Avenue in Flatbush on Thursday before the storm hit - he was familiar to neighbors as someone who could be called on to help out around the building.
As water poured into the cramped subterranean unit, Akaberi reportedly rushed back inside for his dogs - however multiple witnesses have revealed that no second dog was found alive. His death was a tragic reminder of the perils faced by those who live in low-lying areas during heavy rainfall events.
Juan Carlos Montoya Hernandez, 43, who also worked as handyman for the same building where he lost his life, had just entered the basement utility room to fix an electrical issue when tragedy struck. Neighbors have shared stories of how he was not only diligent but also kind-hearted in helping others and even assisting a neighbor with her daily errands.
His death has raised questions about whether the apartment's basement is safe for occupation - neighbors claimed that both areas where men died had previously flooded, prompting many to doubt that residents living below ground floor units are adequately protected against such disasters.
Aaron Akaberi, 39, was last seen entering his flooded basement apartment at Kingston Avenue in Flatbush on Thursday before the storm hit - he was familiar to neighbors as someone who could be called on to help out around the building.
As water poured into the cramped subterranean unit, Akaberi reportedly rushed back inside for his dogs - however multiple witnesses have revealed that no second dog was found alive. His death was a tragic reminder of the perils faced by those who live in low-lying areas during heavy rainfall events.
Juan Carlos Montoya Hernandez, 43, who also worked as handyman for the same building where he lost his life, had just entered the basement utility room to fix an electrical issue when tragedy struck. Neighbors have shared stories of how he was not only diligent but also kind-hearted in helping others and even assisting a neighbor with her daily errands.
His death has raised questions about whether the apartment's basement is safe for occupation - neighbors claimed that both areas where men died had previously flooded, prompting many to doubt that residents living below ground floor units are adequately protected against such disasters.
Can you believe they lost their lives in their own home? I'm thinking about their families too... my grandma used to live in a small apartment building in the city and she always worried about flooding because of the pipes and sewers, you know how that can get all clogged during heavy rain. It's like, we should be helping people who need it most, not putting them in harm's way by making their homes uninhabitable... I'm just so frustrated 
I'm like totally freaking out about this 
... but then again, have you considered the fact that these guys were, like, super handy and could've probably fixed up their apartments to be less prone to flooding in the first place? 
But at the same time, it's crazy that they didn't get some warning or evacuation order before the storm hit - shouldn't the city be doing more to alert people who live in flood zones? 
I mean, I'm not saying it's the city's fault entirely... but maybe, like, we need to rethink our building codes and emergency protocols to prevent this kind of thing from happening again? 
. did u know that NYC gets an average of 43 inches of rainfall per year? 
but only 10% of homes have flood insurance 
. according to data from 2020, NY had the 4th highest number of weather-related deaths in the US 
. stats show that low-lying areas like Brooklyn & Manhattan are most vulnerable to flooding 
. did u know that NYC's basement units account for over 20% of all apartments? 
it's scary thinking about ppl living in these conditions 
. The fact that both men, who were familiar with the perils of flooding, lost their lives due to the sudden onset of water in their basements is nothing short of devastating 
. The history of previous flooding incidents in these locations suggests a clear need for improved measures to protect residents, including enhanced flood defenses, regular maintenance, and better communication systems 
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. It's not just about the physical safety of these buildings, but also about creating a sense of security and well-being for everyone who calls them home 
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another thing, why haven't there been more warnings or alerts system in place for low-lying areas? i mean, i know we're always told about extreme weather events, but it's one thing to hear it on the news and another to feel the effects when you live below ground. 
. And now people are questioning if these buildings are safe? Yeah, I think we should be asking how on earth this happened in the first place 
. No sense in just sweeping this under the rug because it's a tragedy and we don't want to talk about it 
. It's a tragedy and we should all be taking note of how we can improve our infrastructure to avoid this kind of thing happening again 
i mean we all know howNYC deals with flooding, but come on, shouldn't they be doing better by now? 
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. I'm sending all my thoughts and condolences to Aaron's and Juan Carlos' loved ones 
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I'm just so shocked and sad to hear about those two guys who lost their lives in that storm... it's just awful, you know? It's like, we've had these big rainstorms before, but I guess it's getting worse and worse... I remember when I was growing up in Brooklyn, we'd get these floods all the time, but at least back then, we knew how to deal with it. Nowadays, it's just so different... all these new buildings going up, and people living way below ground floor units... it's just not right 
