Deadly Flash Flooding Hits New Jersey and NYC, Killing Two

Anadolu Agency

Record rainfall in New York and New Jersey on Monday night brought torrential flooding, killing two people, which led New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to declare a state of emergency.

Officials carried out rescues after floodwaters stranded drivers in rising waters

"We had some serious weather that hit us last night, and we had, sadly, two fatalities in Plainfield in a car that was swept away … stay tuned — we'll have a better sense of, God willing, there are no more fatalities we don’t know about," said Governor Murphy. 

He urged people to keep the victims’ families in their prayers and said officials would assess damages over the next 48 hours.

Several main roads in New Jersey were closed because of the floods, and both New York City and New Jersey experienced subway delays. 

Floodwaters rushed through New York City subway stations Monday evening, forcing passengers out of their seats. The city recorded its second-highest hourly rainfall in over 80 years, with 5cm (2in) falling in just 30 minutes. 

On Tuesday evening, New Jersey had 15cm (6in) of rain in a period of a few hours, which led to flight delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport. 

Parts of Virginia, including Colonial Heights and Petersburg, also faced “catastrophic” flood risks, the U.S National Weather Service (NWS) warned.

The heaviest rain is moving east and weakening, the NWS said, urging residents to follow road closures. 

The storms come just two weeks after flash floods in south-central Texas killed more than 130 people, with many still missing.

NWS reports that additional storms are expected on Tuesday, with high probability for more flooding in the north-east, Florida, and the mid-western US. 

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