Heavy rains, flooding pummel US northeast

The northeastern United States was inundated yesterday with heavy rain and flooding across several states a day after storms and flash floods washed out highways and killed one person in New York state.

Parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Vermont were under flood warnings as of 6:00 am (1000 GMT) yesterday, with states in the region recording rapid rainfall and "life threatening" flash floods, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Heavy rains in New York state on Sunday turned streets into raging waterways, washing out bridges, leaving roads impassable and leading Governor Kathy Hochul to declare states of emergency in two counties.

The Orange County Emergency Management office yesterday confirmed one fatality in Highland Falls, in New York's Hudson Valley, where "historic floods" caused significant damage. Local media said a woman was swept to her death in a flash flood in the valley as she tried to evacuate her damaged house with her dog.

Hochul said Sunday that up to eight inches (200 mm) of rain had created "life threatening conditions due to flash flooding."

On Sunday evening, more than 12,000 customers had lost electricity in the state, but by early yesterday that figure had dropped to 6,000.