Two dead in New Jersey as soaked US northeast braces for more rain
"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.
© 2025 AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
5 days ago
- France 24
Philippines flooding displaces thousands as new storm threatens
At least six people have died and another six remain missing after Tropical Storm Wipha skirted the country on Friday, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Many neighbourhoods in Manila woke to find calf-deep pools of floodwater Tuesday after an overnight downpour swelled the Marikina River. More than 23,000 people living along the riverbank were evacuated from their homes overnight and moved to schools, village halls and covered courtyards. About 47,000 more were evacuated from across the capital's Quezon, Pasig and Caloocan areas, as well as from the main government district. "Usually, these people are from low-lying areas like beside creeks," said Wilmer Tan of the Marikina rescue office, who said the river had reached 18 metres (59 feet) in height. An elderly woman and her driver were swept down one of the swollen creeks as they attempted to cross a bridge in Caloocan, said John Paul Nietes, an emergency worker. It was initially hoped that the pair had escaped after the car was recovered with a broken window. But Caloocan Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan announced one of the bodies had been found. "We've found (the driver)," he told Manila radio station DZMM. "The body was recovered 4.5 kilometres from where the vehicle was swept away.... They were unable to bail out." No respite As floodwaters began receding in Manila by Tuesday afternoon, the national weather service said a low-pressure area off the country's east coast had developed into a tropical depression. While not expected to make landfall, the depression would bring continued heavy rain through the end of the week, the agency said. Thousands of people, meanwhile, remained unable to return to their homes. AFP journalists in Cainta, a small town on the outskirts of the capital, saw residents using styrofoam boxes and abandoned refrigerators as makeshift floatation devices to navigate the floodwaters. Angelo Dela Cruz, 18, employed a rubber boat -- one purchased in anticipation of frequent flooding -- to transport rice for his aunt's small eatery. "Instead of using the van, we have to use the boat and push it while we wade through the flood to prevent the rice from getting wet," he said. At least 20 storms or typhoons strike or come near the Philippines each year, with the country's poorest regions typically the hardest hit. Deadly and destructive storms are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of climate change. "This is hard, because if the rain will continue... the river will swell," Manila street sweeper Avelina Lumangtad, 61, told AFP as she stood next to a flooded thoroughfare.
France 24
6 days ago
- France 24
Philippines flooding displaces thousands, two missing
Schools and government offices in Manila and the surrounding provinces were closed after a night of rain that saw the region's Marikina River burst its banks. More than 23,000 people living along the river were evacuated overnight, sheltering in schools, village halls and covered courtyards. Another 25,000 more were evacuated in the metropolitan area's Quezon and Caloocan cities. "Usually these people are from low-lying areas like beside creeks (feeding into the river)," according to Wilmer Tan of the Marikina rescue office, who said the river had reached 18 metres (59 feet) in height. An elderly woman and her driver were swept down a swollen creek as they attempted to cross a bridge in Caloocan, said John Paul Nietes, an emergency operations centre assistant supervisor. "Their car was recovered last night. The rescue operation is continuing, but as of today, they haven't found either of them," he said. "The car window was broken, so the hope is that they were able to escape." Floodwaters were receding on Tuesday morning, though thousands of people remained unable to return to their homes. Ongoing monsoon rains have killed at least three people and left another seven missing in the central and southern Philippines since Tropical Storm Wipha skirted the country on Friday, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. At least 20 storms or typhoons strike or come near the Philippines each year, with the country's poorest regions typically the hardest hit. Deadly and destructive storms are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of climate change. "This is hard, because if the rain will continue... the river will swell," Manila street sweeper Avelina Lumangtad, 61, told AFP as she stood next to a flooded thoroughfare. © 2025 AFP
France 24
20-07-2025
- France 24
Texas flood missing toll revised sharply down to three
At least 135 people died in central Texas, including more than three dozen children, after strong downpours sparked flash flooding at the beginning of the July 4 holiday weekend. Recovery teams have been combing the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, the epicenter of the deadly flooding, hoping to find the bodies of those still missing, which last week was estimated to be near 100. "The Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Center can confirm that three individuals remain missing at this time from the July 4 flood disaster," the county said in a statement late Saturday. "Extensive follow-up work" had determined that many individuals originally listed as missing had been verified as safe, it said. "We are profoundly grateful to the more than 1,000 local, state and federal authorities who have worked tirelessly in the wake of the devastating flood that struck our community," said Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice. "Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three." Dozens of deaths were reported in other counties, with the body of at least one person in Burnet County, a local fire chief, yet to be found. The flooding of the Guadalupe River was particularly devastating for summer camps on its banks, including Camp Mystic, where 27 girls and counselors died. US President Donald Trump toured the devastation on July 11 with his wife Melania, as his administration faced questions over its response in the immediate aftermath and plans to devolve federal emergency management to states. © 2025 AFP
