1 killed as extreme flooding overwhelms Hudson Valley, forcing road closures
ORANGE COUNTY, NY - Heavy rain sparked extreme flooding in Hudson Valley that killed at least one person, swamped roadways and forced road closures Sunday night.
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.
In 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.
The force of the flash flooding dislodged boulders, which rammed the woman’s house and damaged part of its wall, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus told The Associated Press.
"Her house was completely surrounded by water," he said. "She was trying to get through (the flooding) with her dog, and she was overwhelmed by tidal-wave type waves."
What is the extent of the damage?
The extent of the destruction from the slow moving storm, which pounded the area with up to 8 inches of rain, won’t be known until after sunrise, when residents and officials can begin surveying the damage, but officials said the storm had already wrought tens of millions of dollars in damage.
The rains hit some parts of New York harder than others. Officials had urged residents in the line of the storm to stay off the roads.
"The amount of water is extraordinary, and it’s still a very dangerous situation," Hochul said. "We’ll get through this."
The governor declared a state of emergency Sunday for Orange County. She later extended the state of emergency to Ontario County.
"We are in close communication with local officials and state agencies are participating in search and rescue efforts," she said.
The state deployed five swift-water rescue teams and a high-axle vehicle to help with rescues in flooded areas.
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.
State Route 9W was flooded, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway became so drenched that parts of it were closed, the New York State Police said in a statement. The police asked the public to avoid the parkway.
BOBBY CAINA CALVAN and HALLIE GOLDEN, with the Associated Press, helped contribute to this report.