An incident occurred in New York City on Wednesday as an underwater tunnel beneath the East River suffered a leak after a city contractor mistakenly drilled a hole through it. This caused water to gush into the heavily trafficked passageway, prompting officials to work quickly to seal the gap and divert traffic. The breach took place around 12:30 p.m. on the Manhattan side of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, a vital route accommodating nearly 100,000 vehicles daily into and out of the city.
Cathy Sheridan, the president of MTA Bridges and Tunnels, revealed that the drilling company unintentionally created a 2.5-inch hole through the tunnel’s cast iron lining, leading water to seep through the exhaust duct and enter the tube. Despite the tunnel having multiple layers of protection, the drilling mishap caused the leak, as explained by Sheridan during a press briefing. Social media videos captured water pouring out of the tunnel’s overhead vents and splashing onto passing cars, with one perplexed driver questioning the situation aloud.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the leak, and an inquiry is in progress to assess the incident further. Sheridan mentioned that the drilling work was being carried out roughly 100 feet from the water’s surface, with about half of the distance through water and the rest through soil before reaching the tunnel. The drilling contractor, Warren George, was engaged in underwater exploration linked to a new esplanade project near the United Nations building, as confirmed by Josh Krauss, the chief infrastructure officer at the city’s Economic Development Corporation.
When contacted by phone, an employee of the drilling company opted not to provide a statement regarding the incident. The situation is being closely monitored as authorities analyze the causes and repercussions of the tunnel leak beneath the East River in New York City.
