According to Governor Kathy Hochul, “life-threatening” flooding brought on by storms and a lot of rain that passed through the Tri-State Area prompted the declaration of an emergency in Orange County on Sunday. According to officials, at least one person died as a result of the heavy rain and flooding.
According to County Executive Steve Neuhaus, a woman in her mid-30s was evacuating her home in Highland Falls due to widespread flooding when she and her dog were both carried away by floodwaters while attempting to make it to their car. She was later discovered dead. According to Neuhaus, the neighbour found the dog unharmed and took it in.
Neuhaus claimed that southern Orange County and the Highland Falls region were most damaged, with the majority of Highland Falls’ roads being unusable. Residents were warned to stay indoors and stay off the roads because dozens of people needed to be saved. Orange County changed into a raging river as it approached West Point Highway. Cars on Thayer Road at West Point were submerged due to the swiftly moving rain.
According to Neuhaus, “I’m trying to respond to people who are trapped, their house is at risk of flooding or collapsing, or elderly people who are evacuated from one of the nursing homes here”. The governor said that state agencies were assisting with search and rescue operations and that her administration was in frequent contact with local authorities.
Chema Monroy, a local of Haverstraw, claims that his family was celebrating in the park when the floodwaters engulfed them, leaving them stranded. “I was meant to attend the celebration. I noticed lots of water. I didn’t see anybody,” he claimed. Six hikers were rescued at adjacent Bear Mountain, according to County Executive Ed Day, including a youngster who was rushed to a nearby hospital with a head injury.
“The rate at which the rain fell was astonishing. It actually had an impact on the mountain’s sides’ stability, he claimed. The Chabad of Stony Point Synagogue was completely submerged, with water even reaching the windows. Yossi Gross, a member of the congregation, stated, “The synagogue is right next to the water bank over there, and it overflowed.” “We can now pray, and everything is fine.” Vehicles at the Penguin Rep Theatre in Stony Point had to be towed because of the flooding caused by the excessive rain.