Powerful Storm Causes Deaths, Flooding, and Power Outages Across the East Coast
A powerful storm hit the East Coast of the United States over the weekend and spread into the northeast, causing widespread devastation. At least four people died in four different states, and hundreds of thousands of people were left without power as a result of the storm’s impact.
In South Carolina, a 72-year-old woman lost her life after her vehicle was submerged in water during the storm. The heavy rain, which resulted in more than 150 mm of rainfall, was attributed to her tragic death. In Pennsylvania, a 73-year-old man also died after his vehicle became submerged in high water due to heavy rain. Additionally, a 40-year-old man in Maine died after being struck by a piece of tree while attempting to remove debris from his roof. In Massachusetts, an 89-year-old man died after a tree collapsed on his small travel trailer, causing severe head trauma.
The storm system brought strong winds and heavy rain to the Northeast, dumping between 50 and 100 mm of water across the region. Reports of up to 127 mm of rainfall just northwest of New York City were recorded. Major flooding was predicted in several areas, prompting evacuations and warnings from local officials. The Passaic River in New Jersey was expected to reach major flood stage, leading to the evacuation of residents from their homes.
Water rescues were reported in New Jersey, New York, and New Hampshire as first responders worked diligently to help those stranded in flooded vehicles. In some areas, residents were urged to evacuate due to the potential for catastrophic flooding, leading to local states of emergency being declared.
As of Monday night, more than 660,000 customers were without power across the Northeast. Maine was particularly hard-hit, with over 420,000 customers left in the dark out of more than 852,000 tracked. Hundreds of flights were canceled and thousands more were delayed due to the storm’s impact.
The storm continued to impact Canada on Monday night, and the threat of flooding remained active in some communities in Maine. Windy conditions were expected to persist, and flooding was anticipated to recede gradually over the coming days. The storm also brought heavy rain to parts of Florida, the Southeast, and mid-Atlantic coasts, causing flash flood emergencies, record rainfall, and widespread flooding in several areas.
As communities work to recover from the severe weather, the effects of the storm continue to be felt. The significant impact on the East Coast serves as a reminder of the destructive power of extreme weather events and the need for ongoing resilience efforts in the face of future storms.