At least one person died in severe flooding caused by torrents of rain that continued to pour across the northeastern United States on Monday morning, authorities said.
The states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Vermont were all subject to flash flood warnings issued by the US Weather Services (NWS) at 6 a.m. local time, which warns that these floods can be “deadly”.
A state of emergency has been declared in Vermont and several counties in New York state, including Orange County, where authorities confirmed that severe weather claimed one victim.
According to American media, it is a woman, carried away with her dog by a rapid rise in water as she tried to leave her home in the Hudson River Valley.
In Vermont, where “flash flooding is already happening” according to the NWS, Governor Phil Scott’s office said it has positioned swift-response rapid-response teams “at strategic locations throughout the province. State, in case their assistance is needed for evacuations and rescues”.
In New York state, heavy rains on Sunday caused “life-threatening” flooding, turning streets into torrents, washing away sections of roadways and bridges, and stranding people in their cars.
Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency in Orange County, northwest of New York City, and in Ontario County, in the center of the state, noting that up to 200mm of rain had caused “life-threatening conditions due to flash flooding”.
More than 12,000 customers were without electricity Sunday evening, according to the services of the governor, and 6,000 remained without power Monday morning, according to the specialized site PowerOutage.
Freeways were closed Sunday evening in at least five counties in the state, including Westchester, which is just north of New York and borders the Hudson.
Rail company Amtrak suspended service from the state capital, Albany, to New York City effective 5:30 a.m. “due to severe weather conditions,” according to a statement.
Heavy rain is expected again on Monday and “through Tuesday”, the NWS warned, and further flash flooding is possible.
“Remember, turn around rather than drown,” the weather service warned.