Two people have died in flash floods in Plainfield, New Jersey, and approximately 40 individuals have been rescued, local authorities announced.
Two people died in severe storms earlier this month in Plainfield, and Mayor Adrian Mapp expressed sorrow over the loss of four lives in a short period, ABC News reports.
State of Emergency Declared
Earlier today, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency as storms and floods also affected other parts of the northeastern US, including New York.
“Due to the heavy rainfall and risk of flooding, we advise extreme caution,” Murphy wrote on the X platform.
A flood warning was in effect last night for all five boroughs of New York City, and city authorities urged citizens to avoid basements and low-lying areas.
Air Travel Chaos
The severe weather caused disruptions to air traffic at at least six major airports on the East Coast. JFK and LaGuardia airports in New York, as well as Newark Liberty in New Jersey, were under temporary ground stops, leading to delays of several hours. A similar situation was reported at airports in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington.
According to National Weather Service estimates, some parts of New York received between 50 and 75 millimeters of rain in a short period. City services issued a warning about a combination of intense heat and potential new floods, with temperatures possibly reaching or exceeding 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
Due to the large number of canceled and delayed flights, passengers reported being stranded at airports for several hours and experiencing flight diversions, which further complicated travel during the evening.
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Source: N1, Foto: Juan Luis Landaeta / Reuters