NEW JERSEY
— Flash floods swept across the northeastern United States this week, claiming two lives in New Jersey and prompting a wave of emergency responses throughout New York and Pennsylvania. Officials are bracing for additional severe weather as the region remains under threat from heavy downpours and rising temperatures.
Fatal Flooding in New Jersey
On
Tuesday, July 15
, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy confirmed the deaths of two individuals in the city of Plainfield due to sudden flash flooding. These are not the first fatalities in the area —
North Plainfield also reported a storm-related death during previous flooding on July 3
.
“We’re not unique, but we’re in one of these high humidity, high storm intensity patterns right now,” Murphy stated during a tour of storm damage in Berkeley Heights. He emphasized the need for continued public vigilance as conditions remain unpredictable.
Flood warnings
have begun expiring across
New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
, but saturated ground and swollen waterways remain dangerous for many communities, as first reported by
Al Jazeera
.
Emergency Rescues in New York and Pennsylvania
The aftermath of the storm was equally dramatic in
Westchester County, New York
, where subway stations were inundated and roads became rivers. Emergency crews conducted water rescues and recovered stranded motorists from submerged vehicles.
Carolyn Fortino, a spokesperson for the county executive, urged residents to avoid travel unless escaping a flood zone or following an evacuation order.
In
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
, flash flooding caused more than 7 inches of rainfall in under five hours, resulting in at least
16 water rescues
. According to the Mount Joy Borough Fire Department, teams responded to flooding in basements and rising street waters across town.
Storms Expose Disaster Preparedness Gaps
The destructive weather has reignited discussions about
America’s readiness for extreme weather
, especially in light of
deadly floods in Texas earlier this month
that killed more than
130 people
, including many children at a summer camp.
Sweeping
federal budget cuts
to disaster response agencies and meteorological services have drawn criticism from political leaders and climate advocates. The growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events has many calling for greater investment in infrastructure and forecasting tools.
Democratic mayoral nominee
Zohran Mamdani
emphasized this point in a social media post, stating that recent flooding highlights the danger of maintaining outdated systems in a rapidly warming climate.
“We must upgrade our infrastructure for this new climate reality,” Mamdani said in his post, shared by
Al Jazeera
.
What’s Next: Rain and Rising Heat
Though the
National Weather Service
said conditions may ease, forecasters warn that
isolated storms could return later this week
, and
heat indices could soar into the mid-90s
across
NYC, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the Lower Hudson Valley
.
“After yesterday’s rainfall, today should be mainly dry,” stated the
NWS New York office
. “However, a few isolated showers or a thunderstorm is possible this afternoon/evening. Expect warm temperatures too, with highs in the 80s.”
Stay Prepared and Stay Safe
Authorities across the Northeast are encouraging residents to:
- Monitor local emergency alerts
- Stay away from floodwaters and submerged roads
- Avoid unnecessary travel during active warnings
- Check on vulnerable family members, especially elderly or mobility-limited individuals
What do you think should be done to improve weather preparedness in your area?
Share your thoughts in the comments at
SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com
.
