Heavy Rain in New York City Puts the State Under a Flood Watch; Roads Are Highly Damaged
New York City is under a flood watch as torrential rains flood portions of the state, stranding vehicles and causing serious damage to roads. Officials from the city warned that the heavy rain could quickly flood cellars, putting lives at risk, and advised citizens to relocate to higher floors.
Consequently, New York City is under a flood watch until 6 a.m. Monday morning, the city stated on its website that areas that are low-lying, have poor drainage, or are in close proximity to tributaries, streams, or rivers are especially susceptible to rapid flooding. According to provisional data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, on Sunday (July 9) afternoon, West Point received more than 7.5 inches of rain in six hours.
What Are the Consequences?
Throughout the day (July 9), the storms deposited several inches of rain on portions of the Lower Hudson Valley, causing flooding, scattering debris across communities, and stranding drivers in their vehicles as rescuers worked to save lives continuously.
Moreover, Flooding at the United States Military Academy West Point in Orange County forced individuals to swim to safety after being stranded in their vehicles, according to a spokesperson for the West Point Military Police who spoke to CNN on Sunday. The spokesperson stated that it was unknown if anybody had been injured.
Sunday night (July 9), New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of national emergency for Orange County, citing “life-threatening flooding” and the loss of electricity to 13,000 households caused by storms. There, emergency personnel were carrying out search and rescue operations.
Hochul issued a public statement:
My biggest concern is the fact that most people’s lives that are lost during a flood event occur because they’re in their vehicles; […] And I want people to be very cautious about not going into a road that’s closed or if you see any running water, because it doesn’t take much for a vehicle, just two feet … of water can actually sweep a car away, and you lose all control, and you could actually lose your life.
Authorities for the town of Cornwall declared a “No Travel Advisory” after multiple highways were inundated and stranded motorists had to be rescued. The town’s emergency management office also issued a warning about mudslides and detritus caused by the storms.
The Weather Prediction Center stated that flash flood threats would persist in parts of New England on Monday and could become “extremely dangerous” in areas of Vermont, where landslides are also feasible, and the Champlain Valley neighboring New York.
Tiesha loves to share her passion for everything that’s beautiful in this world. Apart from writing on her beauty blog and running her own beauty channel on Youtube, she also enjoys traveling and photography. Tiesha covers various stories on the website.
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