Flash flood whisks woman on wild underground ride through city drainage system

Next time your food delivery order doesn’t arrive in tip-top condition, spare a thought for the hardy soul braving the elements to ensure you don’t have to cook.

A DoorDash driver in New Jersey was forced on a frightening white knuckle ride this week through a city drainage system after getting caught in flash floods – and authorities say it’s “miraculous” she survived.

Nathalia Bruno, 24, was delivering food in Passaic on Monday afternoon during a powerful storm when her car got stuck in deep water, according to local Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost.

The Newark woman managed to get out of the car in time as it started filling up with water, Trentacost said, according to NorthJersey.com.

But the strong current pulled both her and her vehicle towards a large viaduct opening and into a brook that flows below the city, located in the northeastern part of the Garden State.

“[The] water is traveling at 30 mph,” Trentacost said. “When it floods, it floods.”

The surging waters carried Bruno underground for around a mile until she was “shot out” above the Passaic River, in the words of Rutherford Police Chief John Russo.

Bruno was able to swim to the river’s opposite bank and climb out onto a backyard in the neighboring borough of Rutherford. The homeowner then called an ambulance, which took her to St. Mary’s General Hospital in Passaic.

Bruno was “stunned” but otherwise appeared physically unharmed by her ordeal, according to Russo.

 “She was out of it. In shock. She really didn’t know what happened to her,” he said.

Local police didn’t know Tuesday afternoon whether Bruno had already been discharged from hospital, but reported that her car was yet to be recovered.

DoorDash, the food delivery service employing Bruno, confirmed that she works for the company as a contractor and said it would provide occupational insurance to help pay her medical bills as well as other financial assistance.

We suspect that the thrills of a water park just won’t cut it next time Bruno decides to visit one.