Torrential Rain Leads To Major Flooding, At Least 1 Death, Rescues In Northeast

Heavy rain spawned extreme flooding in New York's Hudson Valley north of New York City that killed at least one person, swamped roadways and forced road closures Sunday night. Much of the rest of the Northeast U.S. also got hit with downpours.

As the storm moved east, the National Weather Service extended flash flood warnings into Connecticut, including the cities of Stamford and Greenwich, before creeping into Massachusetts. Forecasters said some areas could get as much as 5 inches of rain.

In New York's Hudson Valley, rescue teams were attempting to retrieve the body of a woman in her 30s who drowned after being swept away while trying to evacuate her home. Two other people escaped.

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus told CBS New York a woman in her mid-30s and her dog were swept away by floodwaters while she was evacuating her house in Highland Falls. The woman was later found dead. Neuhaus said the dog was found safe and taken in by a neighbor.

The police chief of the town of Highlands, Frank Basile Jr., said in a statement to CBS News that the woman was also tryng to evacuate her father. There was no word on his fate or whether he was one of the two people who escaped the rushing waters.

The force of the flash flooding dislodged boulders that rammed the woman's house and damaged part of its wall, Neuhaus told The Associated Press. "Her house was completely surrounded by water," he said. " ... She was overwhelmed by tidal-wave type waves."

The extent of the destruction from the slow moving storm, which pounded the area with up to 8 inches won't be known until later Monday. But officials said the storm had already wrought tens of millions of dollars in damage.

Parts of the Metro-North train service were expected to be suspended in both directions through Monday because of flooding and downed trees, CBS New York reported. Amtrak train service between Albany and New York City was also suspended because of the weather, according to CBS New York, and still was as of 5:30 a.m.

More than 1,000 flights scheduled to fly into or out of Laguardia, John F. Kennedy or Newark airports had been canceled as of Sunday night, according to FlightAware.com. Some 262 more had been canceled or delayed at those three airports and Boston's Logan Internatinoal as of 7:15 a.m., FlightAware said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed to WCBS radio that several people were missing and one home was washed away.

The rains have hit some parts of New York harder than others, but officials said communities to the east of the state should brace for torrential rains and possible flash flooding.

The governor declared a state of emergency Sunday for Orange County, about 60 miles north of New York City. She later extended the state of emergency to Ontario County in western New York, southeast of Rochester.

The state deployed five swift-water rescue teams and a high-axle vehicle to help with rescues in flooded areas.

Some video posted on social media showed the extent of flooding, with streams of brown-colored torrents rushing right next to homes and roadways washed away by fast-moving cascading flows.

West Point, home to the U.S. Military Academy, was severely flooded. Officials worry some historic buildings might have water damage.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings across parts of southeastern New York, describing it as "life threatening," as well as warnings in northeastern New Jersey.

By Monday, "a considerable flood threat with a high risk of excessive rainfall is expected across much of New England," NWS said in a tweet.

In Vermont, Gov. Phil Scott declared a state of emergency Sunday.

WVNY-TV reported that 10 people had to be taken from a flooded campsite in Andover, in the southwestern part of the state.

Vermont Emergency Management confirmed to CBS News that a rescue has taken place but didn't specify the number of people involved.

In Pennsylvania, at least 40 people in the city of Reading were displaced, CBS News Philadelphia reported. 

First published on July 9, 2023 / 11:35 PM

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