At least one person was killed in Orange County due to flooding, officials said. Photo courtesy of New York State Police/Facebook
July 10 (UPI) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday night declared a state of emergency for Orange and Ontario Counties as a slow-moving series of thunderstorms prompted flash flood warnings to be issued throughout southeastern New York.
The National Weather Service for New York has issued several flash flood warnings throughout the state, with a whole swath of the northeastern United States from northern Vermont and Pennsylvania to southern Rhode island under flood watches as of early Monday.
“Move to higher ground now,” the National Weather Service said in a 12:25 a.m. EDT update. “Act quickly to protect your life.”
Flooding has been reported in New York State, with police warning that “numerous roadways” including State Route 9 West and Palisades Interstate Parkway were under water.
Late Sunday, New York State Police urged motorists to “avoid the Palisades Parkway, Long Mountain Circle, the Bear Mountain Bridge and Route 6 due to major flooding!”
Flash flooding was also expected for the Bronx and Manhattan as it was forecast to receive another 1 to 2 inches of rain late Sunday after being drenched earlier.
In Orange County, executive Steve Neuhaus issued a state of emergency and activated the county’s Emergency Operation Center. Officials have received “numerous reports regarding extensive flooding occurring in and around Orange County,” its emergency management office said in a statement.
Neuhaus confirmed to The New York Times that one resident has died.
“We have a emergency situation in southern Orange County, in particular to Highland Falls area,” he said from a flooded road Sunday evening in a video statement published to his Facebook page.
The floods are caused by a band of showers and thunderstorms slowly moving east across the northern states, the NWS said.
Hochul had issued a state of emergency for Orange County but then expanded it to Ontario County late Sunday “due to significant flooding over the past two hours,” she said, adding the move mobilizes additional state resources.
Swift Water Rescue Teams have also been deployed to Ontario County to conduct door-to-door welfare checks, her office said.
New York City has a flash flood watch in effect until 6 a.m. Monday.
The NWS is warning that there is “a considerable flood threat with a high risk of excessive rainfall” for much of New England on Monday as the band of storm moves east.
“Organized areas of heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to produce intense rain rates, especially in the high risk area of Vermont and northeastern New York,” it tweeted.
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