What You Need To Know
- Officials in Connecticut say two women died after being swept away by floodwaters brought by torrential rains that fell there and on New York’s Long Island
- As much as a foot of rain fell Sunday and early Monday and trapped people in cars and a restaurant
- A Long Island official says that hundreds of homes were affected by flooding there and that mudslides covered car roofs
Flooding Wreaks Havoc in Connecticut and New York’s Long Island
Torrential rains turned streets into raging rivers in parts of Connecticut and New York’s Long Island, trapping people in cars and a restaurant, covering vehicles in mud, and sweeping two women to their deaths, authorities said.
Dramatic Rescues Unfolded
Dramatic rescues unfolded as a foot of rain fell on some parts of western Connecticut late Sunday and early Monday, coming down so fast that it caught drivers unaware. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said more than 100 people were evacuated by search and rescue teams Sunday evening.
Rescue Efforts
The bodies of two women who had been in separate cars were recovered Monday in Oxford, a town of 13,000 about 35 miles southwest of Hartford, officials said. Both were Oxford residents.
Firefighters were trying to get the first woman to safety when the flooded Little River swept her away, Oxford Fire Chief Scott Pelletier said at a news conference with other Connecticut officials. The second woman got out of her car and tried to cling to a sign, but “the racing water was too much” and swept her away, too, he said.
Luckier Rescues
In nearby Southbury, Lucas Barber used wilderness first responder techniques he learned as a backpacker and rock climber to wade through chest-high water to save Patrick Jennings, who has a prosthetic leg, and Jennings’ dog from a car outside the Southbury Plaza mall.
Barber, 30, said he drove to higher ground and grabbed rope he keeps in his car for emergencies. Jennings’ car, he said, looked like it was “turning in the tide and seemed to be sinking.”
Barber said he first tried to throw his rope to Jennings but changed his approach once told he had a prosthetic leg. He waded and swam to the car, which was filling with water, he said.
He saw Jennings’ golden retriever, Stanley, in the back, scared, and Jennings worried about leaving him behind. “’Your dog is coming with us, but also I need to get you out right now,'” Barber said he told Jennings.
Jennings took off his prosthetic leg, and Barber wrapped his rope around the man’s waist and chest. Barber tried tying the rope around the dog’s collar, but it came undone. Once he got Jennings to safety and others could tend to him, he went back for Stanley. Halfway back, Barber said, the dog got excited to see Jennings and swam the rest of the way to his owner.
Barber said he went back a third time to fetch Jennings’ prosthetic leg, which was bobbing next to his car.
Brookside Inn Rescued
In Oxford, rushing waters surrounded the Brookside Inn, trapping 18 people. Firefighters had to stretch a ladder across the floodwaters to reach them as cars and other large debris carried by the torrent smashed into the building, said Jeremy Rodorigo, a firefighter from neighboring Beacon Falls.
The firefighters also rescued a woman and a small dog from an apartment next door, Rodorigo said.
Long Island Floods
A Long Island official says that hundreds of homes were affected by flooding and that mudslides covered car roofs, as a storm system moved in from Connecticut.
Ed Romaine, the executive of Long Island’s Suffolk County, said that hundreds of homes were affected by flooding and that mudslides covered the roofs of cars in some areas. He joined other officials at a news conference near a pond in Stony Brook where a dam breached and destroyed a section of a major road and flooded homes.
Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico called the flooding “an environmental and economic disaster.”
Conclusion
The flooding in Connecticut and New York’s Long Island caused destruction and chaos, claiming two lives and affecting hundreds of homes. The swift action of rescue teams and bystanders prevented further tragedies.
FAQs
Q: How many people died in the floods?
A: Two women died after being swept away by floodwaters.
Q: How many homes were affected by the flooding?
A: Hundreds of homes were affected in Long Island and Connecticut.
Q: What caused the flooding?
A: Torrential rains caused the flooding.
Q: Did the flooding cause any other damages?
A: Yes, a dam breached and destroyed a section of a major road, flooding homes in one area.
