Catastrophic US flooding leaves one dead, another missing

Connecticut hit by unprecedented floods, grapples with extensive damage; local states of emergency declared

Catastrophic flooding in the US state of Connecticut has resulted in the death of one person and the disappearance of another, as roads and bridges were destroyed and residents found themselves trapped by rapidly rising waters, FOX Weather reports. 

The flooding, which occurred over the weekend, has left much of the state grappling with the aftermath of what officials have described as an unprecedented natural disaster.

"Yesterday was a pretty devastating day here in Connecticut," said William Turner, the state's Emergency Management Director. "There was initially two reported individuals missing in Oxford that were swept away after their vehicle became stranded. One of them was recovered this morning and the search continues for the second individual.”

Turner noted that emergency services were overwhelmed with calls for help across southwestern Connecticut as the flooding persisted throughout Sunday. "We had an extensive rescue operation occurring to rescue those impacted by this extreme flash flooding that was experienced yesterday,” he added.

Rural areas hit hardest

While flooding was reported in urban communities along the Interstate 95 corridor, such as Stamford, rural areas bore the brunt of the devastation. "The heaviest rains seems to set up from Monroe up into Beacon Falls, and definitely some rural parts of the state, but away from our major highways like I-95 and I-84," Turner explained. "But nonetheless, we still have extensive damage to a lot of state roads and local roads that we’re out there assessing now to determine the impacts and to see what we’ll need to do to get them reopened.”

The situation began to deteriorate early Sunday as heavy rainfall pounded western and southern Connecticut for hours, leading the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue a rare Flash Flood Emergency for the region. Towns like Newtown recorded over a foot of rain, while Shelton and Monroe received more than 10 inches.

State of emergency declared

The widespread flash flooding led to the declaration of local states of emergency in Southbury and Naugatuck. In Southbury, numerous roads were compromised, prompting officials to urge residents to stay home until conditions improved. Dramatic footage from the town showed vehicles stranded in rapidly rising waters, with firefighters desperately trying to unclog storm drains.

In Naugatuck, Mayor Pete Hess also declared a state of emergency, warning residents about the dangers of attempting to drive through floodwaters. "Just because the rain stopped for a little while, this doesn’t mean that you can go drive around,” Hess cautioned in a Facebook post. "Many roads are closed. Other roads are impassable. Do not go out and drive."

Infrastructure damage and evacuations

The town of Oxford was among the hardest hit, with several bridges and roads either destroyed by the floodwaters or buried under debris. "You know, dare I say, nobody was prepared for this," reported Brooke Griffin of FOX 61 Connecticut, standing in front of a washed-out bridge. "This is a main thruway for this part of Connecticut."

In Danbury, a mudslide triggered by the heavy rain led to a gas leak and the evacuation of residents from the Woodland Hills Complex. The city also declared a state of emergency as emergency crews worked to manage the situation.

Flooding extends to New York City

The extreme weather wasn’t confined to Connecticut. New York City also experienced flash flooding on Sunday, with streets in Central Park submerged under water. The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Emergency for parts of Long Island early Monday, warning of additional heavy rainfall.

Forecasters are predicting more severe weather across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions on Monday, including areas of New York and New England that were already hit hard on Sunday.