At least one person was killed during an extreme flooding event in Upstate New York from Sunday into Monday.
Torrential downpours in New York’s Hudson Valley forced numerous road closures and took the life of a 35-year-old woman, who was swept away and drowned while trying to evacuate her home with her dog, WABC-TV reported Monday.
Her home was destroyed when multiple boulders, dislodged by rapidly flowing flood waters, demolished the house’s walls, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus told the Associated Press (AP). “There’s a major flash flood. Major washouts were all around where her house is,” Neuhaus said. “So I could definitely see where she was trying to get out to to safety, but did not make it, got swept away.”
State officials have not yet revealed the woman’s identity. (RELATED: Flash Floods, Extreme Heat And An Unrelated Solar Storm To Strike US)
The storm inundated Upstate New York and parts of New England with a massive amount of rainfall, up to eight inches’ worth in Orange County. The flooding prompted Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to issue a state of emergency order in Orange (and, later, Ontario) County on Sunday night.
I have announced a State of Emergency for Orange County, which has experienced life-threatening flooding over the past few hours.
We are in close communication with local officials and State agencies are participating in search and rescue efforts. ⬇️
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) July 10, 2023
“The amount of water is extraordinary and it’s still a very dangerous situation,” Hochul told WCBS radio, according to AP. “We’ll get through this … [but] it’s going to be a rough night.”
Though calculations are still ongoing, state officials say the storm has already caused over tens of millions of dollars in damages, NPR reported. The state deployed five swift-water rescue teams along with a high-axle vehicle to help search and rescue operations in flooded spots, according to AP.
Residents took to social media to display stunning footage of floodwaters rushing through the area. One Orange County resident posted a video of a section of Route 218 near the United States Military Academy at West Point having been completely washed away by flood waters.
Floodwaters in New York washed away a portion of Route 218 near West Point. pic.twitter.com/DSB9ZXzYLs
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 10, 2023
Another citizen posted a video from the West Point campus showing cars on the road in near-complete submersion.
Current scene in West Point, New York / #HudsonValley 🌊
The radar estimates that over 10 inches of rain fell today, nearly the amount that typically falls over an entire summer!
⚠️ There’s more rain to come…
📸 Megan Cardone via a resident of West Point, NY pic.twitter.com/tLDVttp08p
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) July 9, 2023