9 Dead in flooding in US states of New York, New Jersey
New York, Sep 2 (EFE).- At least nine people – including a two-year-old toddler – have died in recent hours as flash floods battered the northeastern US states of New Jersey and New York, police said Thursday.
Seven of those deaths occurred in New York City, where a flash-flood emergency was declared, police in that metropolis said.
An elderly man was found dead inside his car in the state of New Jersey, according to the mayor of the city of Passaic, Hector Lora. Local media also have reported a second flood-related fatality in that state.
Thousands of people also have had to be evacuated due to flooding associated with the remnants of Ida, which made landfall on Sunday as a powerful Category 4 hurricane and now is battering the northeastern United States with heavy rain as a post-tropical cyclone.
In its final advisory on that system early Thursday, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said “widespread heavy rainfall will continue to wind down from west to east today across eastern New England.”
Seven of the fatalities, including the young boy, occurred in the New York City boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, according to the NBC news network, which said the other two deaths took place in Passaic County, New Jersey.
Ida also caused major devastation in southern Louisiana earlier this week, causing severe power outages in New Orleans and flooding in the region. The system lost strength as its remnants pushed up toward the northeastern US.
The death toll in the southeastern US rose to six on Wednesday after two electrical workers perished while repairing power lines in Alabama.
New York state Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency early Thursday in response to the intense wind, rain and flooding triggered by Ida’s remnants.
The governor of neighboring New Jersey also declared a state of emergency and all scheduled flights at Newark international airport were canceled.
Service on most of New York City’s subway lines was halted after torrents of water cascaded down station stairs and into subway tunnels.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday night on Twitter that he was declaring a state of emergency in that metropolis.
“We’re enduring an historic weather event tonight with record breaking rain across the city, brutal flooding and dangerous conditions on our roads,” he said. “Please stay off the streets tonight and let our first responders and emergency services get their work done. If you’re thinking of going outside, don’t. Stay off the subways. Stay off the roads. Don’t drive into these heavy waters. Stay inside.” EFE
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