Severe flooding and widespread power outages have plagued the Northeast as a powerful storm system wreaked havoc across the region. The aftermath of the storm, which initially swept through the Midwest and Southeast, has left numerous areas submerged and hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity.
The impact of the storm has been particularly significant in New Jersey and New England, where extensive flooding persists. The severe weather conditions prompted many school districts to cancel classes as the storm brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to the region.
Flood warnings remain in effect throughout the Northeast, with entire roads submerged, largely due to river runoff. The Androscoggin River, flowing through northeastern New Hampshire and southern Maine, reached 22 feet on Tuesday morning—7 feet above its flood stage. The National Weather Service deemed this a “100-year flood” at 20.6 feet.
The storm, marked by wind gusts of up to 70 mph along the southern New England shoreline, caused significant disruptions. Traffic jams, flight delays, fallen trees, and widespread power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of customers were among the consequences. At least five fatalities have been reported, with two individuals in Massachusetts and Maine succumbing to fallen trees. Another fatality occurred in Catskill, New York, as a vehicle attempted to navigate a flooded road around a barricade and was swept into the Catskill Creek. A submerged vehicle in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, led to another tragic death, and flooding on a road in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, resulted in a fatality on Sunday.
The storm’s impact was felt in terms of precipitation as well, with more than 5 inches of rain recorded in parts of New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania. Several other states experienced rainfall exceeding 4 inches. As of Tuesday afternoon, approximately 430,000 utility customers in Maine and Massachusetts were grappling with power outages, according to PowerOutage.us.
The extent of the damage has raised concerns about the prolonged aftermath of the storm, with ongoing flooding and power outages disrupting normalcy in the affected areas. Emergency services, utility crews, and local authorities are actively working to address the challenges posed by the severe weather and its aftermath.
The National Weather Service emphasized the severity of the flooding situation, particularly along rivers like the Androscoggin, urging residents to exercise caution and adhere to safety guidelines. The aftermath of the storm serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of communities to extreme weather events, highlighting the importance of preparedness and resilience in the face of such natural disasters.