• Two fatalities reported in New Jersey due to flash flooding.
• Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency across affected areas.
• Significant travel disruptions, including closed roads and delayed flights.
• New York City's subway system faced severe flooding, causing service interruptions.
• Heavy rainfall exceeded historical records, leading to overwhelmed infrastructure.

Severe flash flooding in the northeastern United States, particularly affecting New York and New Jersey, has led to the deaths of two individuals in Plainfield, New Jersey. The tragic events occurred as heavy rainfall submerged cars and overwhelmed local infrastructure, prompting Governor Phil Murphy to declare a state of emergency in the state. He noted, “We’re not unique, but we’re in one of these sort of high humidity, high temperature, high storm intensity patterns right now,” highlighting the ongoing weather challenges, according to BBC and Al Jazeera.

More than 5 centimeters of rainfall was recorded in just an hour in Central Park, marking it as one of the most intense rainfall events in recent memory for the area. Residents in subway stations witnessed chaotic scenes as floodwaters surged, leading to significant service disruptions across the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's network. New York City’s Environmental Protection Commissioner stated that the system was overwhelmed, unable to manage the torrential downpour, which surpassed the sewer capacity, according to Reuters and NPR.

The intense storms left major highways blocked and caused delays at local airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport, which canceled numerous flights. In response to the disastrous conditions, rescue teams in New Jersey had to assist stranded drivers, highlighting the severe impacts of the flooding, as documented by IndiaTimes and TRT Global.

Officials are now warning about ongoing risks of flooding as additional rain is expected in the coming days. Videos showed dramatic flooding scenes, with some areas reporting more than 15 centimeters of rain in less than two and a half hours, leading to spectacular but dangerous “gushers” appearing at subway stations. Murphy emphasized that these flooding events are becoming increasingly connected to changing climate patterns, as noted by IndiaTimes and Newsweek.