More Rain Expected in Northeast After Deadly Weekend Floods

After a night described as “total chaos” that swept away roads and bridges, continued rain and widespread flash flooding are expected in New York and New England on Monday, a day after torrential rains flooded homes, stranded vehicles and caused other damage. in the region. Hudson Valley.

At least one person, a woman in her 30s, died in the flooding, authorities said. Steven M. Neuhaus, county executive in Orange County, NY, said Monday that the victim had been trying to evacuate her home with pets when she lost her footing and was swept into a ravine.

“It was a total mess last night,” said Mr. Neuhaus in an interview with ABC's “Good Morning America.”

While the waters had receded in some places, the damage to roads and bridges made it difficult for search and rescue teams to deploy and ensure residents were accounted for, he said.

“There are some people who could just drift away,” he said.

More rain is expected in the Northeast on Monday. A high probability of excessive rainfall is most likely in areas across the Champlain Valley and Northern Vermont, where the longest duration of rainfall is likely.

Usually, this rain would be a cause for concern on its own. But forecasters with the Weather Prediction Center say that many areas of central and northern New England have seen 200 to 300 percent of their normal rainfall over the last 14 days. The streams are already running very fast, with some all-time record flows, meaning even a little more rain will exacerbate the situation.

The Hudson Valley bore the brunt of the storms Sunday, with as much as eight inches of rain recorded in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. West Point, the US Military Academy, was hit hard, and roads were closed and debris strewn around the area.

Other roads were also impassable, including sections of the Palisades Interstate Parkway which were heavily traveled, and several bridges collapsed, according to Trooper Steven V. Nevel of the New York State Police.

Transport difficulties continued Monday through the region. As of Monday morning, dozens of flights had been canceled from New York's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking service. More than 30 flights were also canceled from Boston Logan International Airport.

Amtrak service suspended between New York City and Albany on Monday. An Amtrak train bound for New York City had been stopped on approach to Poughkeepsie late Sunday, with an Amtrak employee announcing that there had been a “total washout of both lines” south of the city, preventing any travel by rail.

And with trees and other debris still covering the tracks, Metro-North on Monday suspended a portion of the Hudson Line between Croton-Harmon and Poughkeepsie.

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York declared a state of emergency on Sunday, and later expanded it to cover more of the state. “If you are in an area impacted by tonight's storms, please stay off roads and take steps to stay safe.” he said on Twitter.

Flash flood warnings were in effect Monday morning, including in Rockland County and northern Westchester County, according to the National Weather Service.

The service also forecast heavier rains that could result in “life-threatening flooding of rivers and streams, urban areas, highways, thoroughfares and underpasses.”