Flash flooding damaged portions of Route 9W in Palisades Interstate Park in Rockland County, New York on July 9, 2023.
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Flash flooding damaged portions of Route 9W in Palisades Interstate Park in Rockland County, New York on July 9, 2023.
The northeastern United States was inundated by heavy rains and flooding in several states on Monday, a day after storms and flash floods lashed highways and killed one person in New York state.
Parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Vermont were issued flood warnings, with states in the region seeing torrential rainfall and “life-threatening” flooding, according to the National Weather Service ( NWS).
Heavy rains in New York state on Sunday turned roads into raging waterways, washed out bridges, left roads impassable and prompted Gov. Kathy Hotchul to declare a state of emergency in two counties.
The Orange County Office of Emergency Management confirmed Monday that a 35-year-old woman died in Highland Falls, New York's Hudson Valley, where “historic flooding” caused significant damage.
Hochul said the woman was swept to her death by a flash flood in the valley as she tried to evacuate her damaged home with her dog.
“Her fiancé literally saw her drift off,” the governor told reporters Monday.
On Sunday, Hochul said up to 200mm of rain had created “life-threatening conditions due to flash flooding”.
By Sunday afternoon, more than 12,000 customers had lost power in the state, but by midday Monday that number had dropped to 3,800, according to poweroutage.us.
Amtrak train service was suspended between New York and the state capital of Albany “due to severe weather conditions” starting at 5:30 a.m., the company said in a statement.
Hotchul said the rains appeared to be heading east into Vermont, where law enforcement earlier reported heavy rain in four counties, with several roads washed out and closed.
“The expected rainfall rate is 0.25 to 0.5 inches in 1 hour,” the NWS said in a state alert. “Flash flooding is already occurring” and “catastrophic flooding” was expected Monday in parts of Vermont.
Governor Phil Scott declared a state of emergency.
“Swiftwater rescue teams have been deployed at strategic locations across the state if necessary to assist with floodwater evacuation and rescue,” Scott's office said in a statement Sunday.
Heavy rains washed out and closed highways, stranding people in their cars and homes. Search and rescue teams were operating in multiple locations, according to various media reports.
The NWS said it received “multiple reports” of significant flooding and people trapped in vehicles in Orange County.
“Several additional inches of rainfall are expected through Tuesday morning as this system slowly moves eastward” and more flash flooding is possible, it said Monday.
Scientists say climate change is increasing the risk of heavy rainfall because a warmer atmosphere holds more water.
