1 dead after Flash Flood Emergency, historic rainfall in New York’s lower Hudson Valley prompts water rescues

WEST POINT, N.Y. – One person is dead after historic rainfall north of New York City triggered dozens of water rescues and led to roadways being washed out after more than a half-foot of rain fell in only a few hours Sunday.

The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Emergency for parts of Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties due to the catastrophic flooding.

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The agency received reports of water rescues in Highland Falls, Fort Montgomery, Cornwall, West Point and several other communities in the lower Hudson Valley.

Orange County Officials confirmed to FOX Weather that a 30-year-old woman in Highland Falls was killed during the devastating flash flood. Deputy commissioner of Orange County EMS Alan Mack joined FOX Weather on Monday to provide updates on the situation and said the woman was walking on a road to check on a family member when it was washed out by raging floodwaters, sweeping her away.

Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus told the Associated Press that the force of the flash flooding dislodged boulders, which slammed into the woman’s home and damaged part of a wall.

Photos and videos from around Orange County, including the communities of West Point and Highland Falls, showed many vehicles stuck in the high water that was estimated to be several feet high.

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Authorities in Fort Montgomery requested mutual aid due to the volume of water rescues.

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point said driving was unsafe around the post due to drain covers that were displaced by the fast-moving water.

"To all of our U.S. Military Academy and local Hudson Valley teammates: As we wake up and assess the impacts of the devastating rainfall over the past 24 hours, please be patient as emergency workers both on and off West Point clear roadways and assess infrastructure, this will take time," West Point wrote in a statement. "Our teams are working together to ensure everyone’s safety. We absolutely appreciate the support as neighbors, friends, and strangers pitch in to help others in this time of need."

Photos shared by the academy the day after the flooding showed washed-out roads, submerged cars and a rock slide near campus.

A state of emergency was declared Sunday evening for Orange County, which saw many roadways and bridges washed away. New York Governor Kathy Hochul also declared a state of emergency in western New York's Ontario County after the heavy rainfall led to significant flooding in the Canandaigua area.

New York State Police reported numerous roadways in Rockland County, to the southeast of Orange County, were also washed out and urged drivers to avoid the area.

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The FOX Forecast Center warned bands of additional showers and thunderstorms could produce several more inches of rainfall, and some parts of the Northeast were facing the worst flash flooding threat since Hurricane Irene in 2011.

"State personnel are on the ground and supporting local response efforts," Hochul said. "New Yorkers in impacted regions should do everything they can to avoid flooded roads and stay alert for additional weather."

Hochul said state swift-water rescue teams are performing door-to-door welfare checks for neighborhoods with the highest impacts. In addition, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services staff are embedded with the Ontario County Emergency Operations Center to facilitate local requests for assistance.

Joseph Bartel said he was at home when feet of water started to pour into his Highland Falls neighborhood. The New Yorker has lived in the area for eight years and said he's never seen anything like it.

"Our basement flooded with about 2 feet of water, and our neighbor's car floated away," Bartel stated. He hopes that insurance will cover the damages, but the recovery could be an extensive process. 

Hours after the first rain, his basement and neighborhood were still flooded, and water-rescue crews had just started to deploy in boats. 

More than 40 million residents from the mid-Atlantic through New England were under a Flash Flood Watch due to the threat that excessive runoff may result in flooding of low-lying areas and rivers.

Flooding leads to travel troubles across the region

Roads have been washed away because of the flooding, while others have been covered with mud and debris. Officials have urged residents to stay off roads and to avoid any that are covered with water if travel is unavoidable.

Amtrak announced that service between New York City and Albany, New York, was suspended through Monday because of the flooding on the Metro-North Railroad. In a tweet, Amtrak said passengers with reservations would be accommodated on other trains with similar departure times or on another day.

Service on Metro-North has also been affected by the flooding, with some service on the Hudson Line being suspended. The Wassaic Branch was also affected, and the railroad is working on securing buses. However, passengers were urged to find another mode of transportation if possible.