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Severe flooding in Northeast 'once in a millennium'

One women reportedly died trying to escape the flood waters on Sunday.

Published: July 10, 2023 3:06pm

After torrential downpour north of New York City, flash floods called "once in a millennium" ravaged the landscape Sunday night, killing one women, causing widespread property damage and limiting travel.

Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state emergency in Orange and Ontario counties on Sunday night, after 8 inches of rain fell, deploying police and swift-water rescue teams.

Hochul warns New Yorkers to "avoid flooded roads, monitor your local forecasts and have an evacuation plan ready if you're in a danger zone."

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said Monday on ABC's Good Morning America": "Last night was compete chaos. Many roads and bridges are washed out."

At West Point more than 7 of the 8 inches that fell occurred over a 4-hour period, according to weather data recorded at the United States Military Academy.

At West Point the chance of this amount of rain occurring is .01%,  making it a once in a millennium rainfall, CNN reports.

The town of Cornwall, in Orange County, issued a “No Travel Advisory” on Sunday after multiple roads were flooded by storms, triggering mudslides and forcing rescues from stranded cars.

“TRAVEL IS IMPOSSIBLE,” Cornwall emergency officials reportedly said on Twitter, “GET TO HIGHER GROUND. IF SAFE, STAY WHERE YOU ARE.”

More rain will come on Monday and more excessive rain is reportedly expected, which could be even more treacherous than Sunday night's rain because the ground is already wet.

Vermont is also at high risk for flash floods on Monday and following, the National Weather Service bureau in the city of Burlington said Monday morning.

Gov. Phil Scott issued a state of emergency in response to the upcoming storm, which will likely hit on Monday, setting up teams in places expected to be hit the hardest by flooding.

Many areas in New England could get 3 to 5 inches of rain Monday, with some parts of New York getting 1 to 2 inches of rain per hour, the NWS warned.

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