By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN and HALLIE GOLDEN (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — Heavy rain spawned excessive flooding in New York’s Hudson Valley that killed a minimum of one individual, swamped roadways and compelled street closures on Sunday night time, as a lot of the remainder of the Northeast U.S. braced Monday for doubtlessly punishing rains.
As the storm moved east, the National Weather Service prolonged flash flood warnings into Connecticut, together with the cities of Stamford and Greenwich, earlier than creeping into Massachusetts. Forecasters mentioned some areas might get as a lot as 5 inches (12 centimeters) of rain.
In New York’s Hudson Valley, rescue groups discovered the physique of a lady in her 30s who drowned after being swept away whereas making an attempt to evacuate her residence, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus informed WABC-TV. Officials have been ready for the health worker’s workplace to reach, he mentioned.
“There’s a major flash flood. Major washouts were all around where her house is,” Neuhaus mentioned. “So I could definitely see where she was trying to get out to to safety, but did not make it, got swept away.”
The power of the flash flooding dislodged boulders, which rammed the lady’s home and broken a part of its wall, Neuhaus informed The Associated Press. Two different folks escaped.
“Her house was completely surrounded by water,” he mentioned.
“She was trying to get through (the flooding) with her dog,” he added, “and she was overwhelmed by tidal-wave type waves.”
The extent of the destruction from the sluggish shifting storm, which pounded the realm with as much as 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain, received’t be identified till after dawn, when residents and officers can start surveying the harm. But officers mentioned the storm had already wrought tens of tens of millions of {dollars} in harm.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed to WCBS radio that a number of folks have been lacking and one residence was washed away.
The rains have hit some components of New York more durable than others, however officers mentioned communities to the east of the state ought to brace for torrential rains and attainable flash flooding.
Officials urged residents within the line of the storm to remain off the roads.
“The amount of water is extraordinary and it’s still a very dangerous situation,” Hochul mentioned.
“We’ll get through this,” she mentioned, however added “it’s going to be a rough night.”
The governor declared a state of emergency Sunday for Orange County, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of New York City. She later prolonged the state of emergency to Ontario County in western New York, southeast of Rochester.
“We are in close communication with local officials and state agencies are participating in search and rescue efforts,” she mentioned.
The state deployed 5 swift-water rescue groups and a high-axle car to assist with rescues in flooded areas.
Some video posted on social media confirmed the extent of flooding, with streams of brown-colored torrents speeding proper subsequent to properties, and roadways washed away by fast-moving cascading flows.
West Point, residence to the U.S. Military Academy, was severely flooded. Officials fear some historic buildings may need water harm.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings throughout components of southeastern New York, describing it as “life threatening,” in addition to warnings in northeastern New Jersey.
By Monday, “a considerable flood threat with a high risk of excessive rainfall” was anticipated throughout a lot of New England, NWS mentioned in a tweet. Intense rain could also be particularly robust in Vermont, the place Gov. Phil Scott declared a state of emergency Sunday, and northeastern New York.
Showers and thunderstorms in New York City might result in flash flooding, the National Weather Service New York tweeted.
The metropolis’s emergency notification system tweeted that the heavy rain might trigger “life-threatening flooding to basements” and instructed residents Sunday to “prepare now to move to higher ground if needed.”
State Route 9W was flooded, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway grew to become so drenched that components of it have been closed, the New York State Police mentioned in a press release. The police requested the general public to keep away from the parkway.
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Golden reported from Seattle.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”