Multiple deaths reported after Ida’s remnants bring historic flooding [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• At least 46 people died in the Northeast on Wednesday and Thursday, as Hurricane Ida’s remnants brought relentless rain to the region that triggered historic flooding.
• The deaths were reported in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
• Rescuers were still searching for more stranded and missing people as recovery efforts continued.

Dozens of people were killed across New York and New Jersey — including a 2-year-old boy and his parents who drowned in a basement apartment in Queens — as the tail-end of Hurricane Ida ravaged the northeast.

The storm knocked out power and flooded streets, homes and subways — prompting the first-ever flash flood emergency for the Big Apple and leaving a trail of devastation from Maryland to New York.

Many of the victims became trapped in flooded basement apartments and one person was found dead in the backseat of their car on the Grand Central Parkway in Queens, according to NYPD Chief of Department Rodney Harrison.  

“I don’t have an exact answer regarding how many people are actually missing, but we are going to continue to work hard throughout the day and the evening to identify everyone’s location,” the chief said.  

Cops were out in the hardest-hit areas Thursday evening knocking on doors to make sure the residents are safe, Harrison said.

At least 23 people died in the Garden State, including a family of three found in the same apartment complex, the state’s Gov. Phil Murphy said late Thursday. 

The rising death toll came as a state of emergency was in effect after the historic downpour knocked out power, closed roads and destroyed homes and businesses across the five boroughs.

As recovery efforts continued throughout the day, rescuers were still searching for more stranded and missing people, bracing for a potentially higher death toll.

“Our hearts go out to the victims,” NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said at a press briefing in Queens Thursday with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Kathy Hochul. “We pray that the number does not go up.”

More than 200,000 electricity customers were still without power early Thursday across the northeast – mostly in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, according to PowerOutage.US.

Subway tracks and stations were also submerged, prompting the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to suspend all service, which largely resumed with lingering delays by late afternoon. 

In New Jersey, the NJ Transit suspended rail services, except the Atlantic City Rail Line, and the Newark Light Rail was also halted. Newark International Airport shutdown overnight but restarted limited flights Thursday morning.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont all issued emergency declarations for their states as they reeled from the destruction and President Biden said he’d spoken to the governors, telling them Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel were on the ground to provide assistance.

Source: New York Post