Two dead in New Jersey as soaked US northeast braces for more rain / Photo: Jonathan WALTER, Christophe THALABOT - AFP
Two dead in New Jersey as soaked US northeast braces for more rain
Two people were killed in New Jersey following flash flooding in the northeastern United States that caused travel chaos, authorities said Tuesday, as the region braced for more heavy rain.
A flood warning remained in effect until Tuesday morning for parts of New Jersey, while the slow-moving summer storm was expected to continue showering the Mid-Atlantic region into the middle of the week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
"A moisture-rich Summer-time airmass over much of the eastern/central US will continue to lead to areas of scattered to widespread thunderstorms capable of heavy downpours and flash flooding," the government forecaster wrote.
Torrential rain inundated parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland on Monday night.
Two people died when their vehicle was swept into a river in Plainfield, a city in New Jersey, and emergency responders at the scene were unable to save them, local officials said.
It follows another storm that struck the city on July 3 that claimed two lives.
"We New Jersey, we America, we the globe, are getting dragged by climate," state Governor Phil Murphy said.
In New York City, emergency officials told people living in low-lying areas or ubiquitous basement apartments to head to higher ground.
Torrents of filthy rain water cascaded down Manhattan's major avenues around the time of the evening rush hour, and commuters sought cover under building canopies and bus stops.
Several major stations in the city's subway system were flooded, with passengers sharing images on social media showing waves of water gushing past ticket barriers and onto the electrified tracks.
In downtown Manhattan, dozens of passengers were reportedly trapped on a train as water poured into the 28th street station.
JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports temporarily suspended departures Monday night, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights.
FOX Forecast Center meteorologist Christopher Tate said the Big Apple overnight endured its "second wettest single hour ever recorded."
More than two inches of rain fell in a single hour.
The city is no stranger to extreme weather.
Hurricane Sandy in 2012 killed more than 40 New Yorkers and destroyed approximately 300 homes.
Hurricane Ida in 2021 left more than a dozen dead in New York City, and damage to the subway took years to repair.
- State of emergency -
New Jersey's governor declared a state of emergency, urging people to stay indoors.
Authorities across the region, including as far south as North Carolina, warned of hazardous driving conditions as clean up operations were mounted across the region.
The NWS urged drivers encountering flooded roads to "turn around."
"Most flood deaths occur in vehicles," it said.
In Lancaster Pennsylvania, severe flash flooding prompted a disaster declaration, while emergency responders plucked people from flooded basements and conducted 16 water rescues.
"Intense rainfall dropped over seven inches of rain in less than five hours," the fire department in the county's Mount Joy Borough posted on Facebook.
Staten Island recorded four to six inches (10-15 centimeters) of rain Monday night, according to the New York borough's emergency notification system.
Zohran Mamdani, the Democrat running for mayor of New York, wrote on social media that the rapid flooding emphasized the need for climate-proofing the city.
The latest bad weather follows historic Fourth of July flooding that devastated parts of central Texas, killing at least 131 people and leaving more than 100 others missing.
And in North Carolina, at least five people were killed when Tropical Storm Chantal slammed the coastal state last week, Governor Josh Stein said.
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