Streets were flooded in southwestern Connecticut on August 18, leaving people trapped in cars and causing mudslides. In Oxford, New Haven County, two people disappeared when their vehicle was swept into Little River, and campers at a state park were left stranded when a bridge was submerged under water.
New Haven and Fairfield Counties were the worst hit, with between six and ten inches of rainfall over the preceding days. Officials warned Constitution State residents to remain indoors as experts cautioned that heavy rain would continue after the weekend. Drivers were also warned not to attempt to drive through flooded streets.
Governor Ned Lamont described the flooding as “historic” and promised that state officials would work with local emergency services to minimize harm to people and property. The Governor furthermore confirmed that more than 100 people had been aided by search and rescue teams.
Additionally, the National Weather Service issued an emergency warning to Hartford and Litchfield Counties, as well as parts of New York. More than a million Suffolk County residents in the Empire State were subject to emergency alerts until early August 19, when surrounding airports grounded several flights.
More than 500 flights were canceled, diverted, or grounded at John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports. Newark Liberty International Airport, as did other eastern airports, including Boston Logan, also experienced significant take-off delays.
Trains were also affected. Amtrak issued a statement saying that “inclement weather” caused flooding on tracks linking major cities, including the route between Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station and New York City’s Penn Station. Passengers were warned to expect delays of 60 to 90 minutes over the weekend of August 17 – 18. As the week of August 19 got underway, flood advisory notices were still in effect, including in the nation’s capital, Washington, DC.
Meanwhile, excessive heat warnings were in place in other parts of the country. For instance, in Fort Worth, Texas, residents were told to expect temperatures as high as 105 to 110 degrees or even higher. Texans were advised to drink plenty of water, stay out of the sun, and look out for elderly relatives and neighbors.
