2 killed and about 100 evacuated by rescue crews as flash flooding hit parts of Connecticut and New York
Originally Published: 18 AUG 24 20:31 ET
Updated: 19 AUG 24 10:32 ET
By Lauren Mascarenhas, Caroll Alvarado and Robert Shackelford, CNN
(CNN) — Two people were found dead and at least 100 have been evacuated by rescuers after heavy rainfall in the Northeast brought dangerous flooding to Connecticut Sunday, with more on its way.
The two deceased people were found dead in the town of Oxford, Fire Chief Scott Pelletier told CNN Monday. The town is about 15 miles northwest of New Haven.
Officials earlier reported one person missing in Oxford. It’s not yet clear if that person is among the two people confirmed dead.
“Widespread flooding and water rescues” were reported Sunday, the National Weather Service warned. A flash flood emergency issued Sunday was later downgraded to a flood warning that’s in effect until 10:30 a.m. Monday and includes the cities of Waterbury, Danbury and the town of Fairfield.
First responders rescued 19 people and a dog Sunday night from an Oxford restaurant and nearby apartment, Jeremy Rodorigo, Beacon Falls emergency management director, told CNN.
The Brookside Inn was surrounded by rushing water with about 18 people inside, Rodorigo said.
“We were concerned that the restaurant was compromised and was going to get washed away,” he said. “We had a very short window of time to get over there, set up a ladder truck and extend our ladder 100 feet to rescue them.”
Responders also rescued an older woman and her dog from the apartment connected to the property, Rodorigo said. No one was injured, he added.
“We will continue helping towns with any resources they need to immediately respond and keep the public safe,” Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement Sunday.
Southwestern Connecticut saw 6 to 10 inches of rainfall in about six to nine hours Sunday, David Stark of the National Weather Service in New York told CNN. Monroe, Connecticut, received 9.98 inches of rain, a one in 200-year event for the city.
Additional rain is expected across the Northeast Monday afternoon, with a level 2 out of 4 risk of excessive rainfall in place for parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York state. About 1-2 inches of accumulated rain are expected in the region, with some areas expecting up to 3 inches.
“Emergency management is continuing to report ongoing water rescues, several mudslides, numerous washed out roadways and bridges as well as swollen rivers taking place from Central Fairfield County into Northern New Haven County. In addition, emergency management official are assessing the integrity of several dams in the area,” the weather service said late Sunday.
In New York, nearly 1 million people in the Suffolk County area were under a flash flood emergency early Monday, the weather service in New York City said.
About 2 to 4 inches of rain had fallen, with an additional 1 to 2 inches possible, the weather service said, warning of “flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.”
The heavy rainfall also created dangerous driving conditions in Connecticut, prompting several cities and towns – including Stamford, Danbury, Southbury and Naugatuck – to close roads.
“Multiple roads in town are flooded due to heavy rainfall. We are advising residents to stay in their homes, if at all possible,” Southbury Police said. “Crews are working around town, responding to emergencies and road closures.”
“A good number of roads in the western portion of the state are closed and are expected to remain closed for an extended period,” Lamont said in his statement.
Train service was also suspended in some areas. A mudslide near Seymore, Connecticut, resulted in suspended train service in both directions on the Metro-North Railroad Waterbury Branch.
On Sunday afternoon, heavy rainfall also triggered a mudslide, leading to a gas leak near an apartment complex in Danbury, which had to be evacuated, Danbury Public Information Officer Erin Henry told CNN.
Another Danbury apartment complex on Main Street also had to be evacuated due to flooding, Henry added.
Connecticut’s emergency operations center is monitoring the situation and has deployed an urban search and rescue team to Southbury, the state’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department said in a post on X.
At least two state parks were closed due to flooding, according to posts on the Connecticut State Parks X account.
Meanwhile, more than 700 flights were canceled at the three major airports near New York City on Sunday as thunderstorms hit the area on Sunday evening.
JFK, Newark and LaGuardia airports all experienced ground stops Sunday due to the weather, according to FAA.gov.
CNN Meteorologist Elisa Raffa and CNN’s Amanda Jackson and Susannah Cullinane contributed to this report.
The-CNN-Wire
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