Residents of Orange County, New York, were in shock after a wild storm killed at least one person and flooded roadways, trapping drivers and forcing them to swim out of their submerged vehicles. Severe flash floods have now blanketed the entire Northeast and are forecasted to continue throughout the day.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for parts of New York and surrounding areas, calling it “life threatening.” Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said the floodwaters were so strong they dislodged rocks that struck the woman’s home and damaged part of her wall. Unfortunately, the woman did not make it, being swept away while trying to evacuate her home.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed that several people were missing and that a house had been washed away. The State deployed five swiftwater rescue teams and a high-axle vehicle to assist with rescues. Videos posted on social media showed the extent of the flooding, with streams of brownish torrents rushing right past homes, and roads washed away by rapid cascading flows.
West Point, home of the United States Military Academy, suffered severe flooding, with the possibility of some historic buildings suffering water damage. High levels of water were also seen along Route 9W and the Palisades Interstate Freeway, resulting in some closures.
The New York City emergency notification system tweeted that the heavy rain could cause “life-threatening basement flooding”. Officials have urged residents to stay off the roads and to be prepared to move to higher ground if necessary.
As the storm moves east to Connecticut and Massachusetts, some areas could receive up to 12 centimeters of rain. Officials aren’t sure of the full extent of the destruction caused by the slow moving storm until Monday, but they are continuing to assess the damage.
The state of emergency originally declared for Orange County has been expanded to Ontario County in Western New York, southeast of Rochester. New York has been bracing for potentially devastating rain Monday as the storm moves eastward.
These flash floods have prompted emergency declarations from several states across the US. As the storm rages on, officials urge citizens to take proper caution when encountering floods, and to seek higher ground if it is safe to do so.