Jackie Roman
nj.com
(TNS)
New Jersey was wringing itself out Wednesday after a storm system packed with extra moisture from Tropical Storm Debby dropped more than 7 inches of rain and flooded some towns as the area braced for more precipitation in the days ahead.
Flash flooding concerns will continue over the next three days, with the greatest risk on Friday, according to the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly office.
The first round of heavy rain left low-lying parts of New Jersey waterlogged Tuesday night, as images of stranded cars and kayaks in the street circulated social media.
Several towns and cities — including Hackensack, Hoboken, Englewood, Lodi, Long Branch and Brick — experienced dangerous flooding. And many residents became stranded in fast-moving flash floods.
“First responders saved countless lives” on Tuesday, said Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes, who posted video on Facebook of flooding in his own home. Englewood was drenched with nearly 6 inches of rain Tuesday, all after 3:30 p.m., according to the city’s mayor.
Firefighters in Englewood rescued more than 100 people throughout the city Tuesday night, according to Englewood IAFF Local 3260. A video posted by the professional fire company showed a member carrying a woman on his back while trudging through floodwaters.
While no severe weather is expected Wednesday, showers and scattered thunderstorms are possible on a mostly cloudy day with highs in mid-to-upper 70s, according to forecasters.
The highest risk of heavy rain and flash flooding this week will be on Friday.
The weather service says “main stem rivers will be on the rise by the end of this week, potentially leading to some river flooding over the weekend and into early next week if rain amounts are high enough.”
However, the agency’s latest river forecast maps show only two river spots in New Jersey that could get close to minor flood stage by Saturday morning — the Millstone River at Blackwells Mills in Somerset County and the Passaic River in the Singac section of Little Falls in Passaic County.
The Hackensack City Fire Department said it had “multiple rescues being made by Hackensack fire members,” according to a Facebook post Tuesday night.
One video on social media showed raging floodwaters surrounding the city’s beloved White Manna hamburger restaurant on River Street. Other videos showed the Hackensack railroad tracks under water.
Mutual aid was provided by the Garfield Volunteer Fire Department Rescue Engine Company #3, which assisted “one citizen to safely exit his car and transported to the designated drop off zone,” according to a Facebook post Wednesday morning.
Members of Edgewater Fire Company also responded to Englewood Tuesday night with one of the department’s high water trucks to assist with rescues in rising flood waters, according to a Facebook post.
Flooding in Hoboken was exacerbated by a lack of drainage after a county contractor allegedly accidentally paved over the city’s storm drains, according to Mayor Ravi Bhalla.
“This is completely unacceptable,” Bhalla wrote on Facebook Wednesday morning.
In Long Branch in Monmouth County, businesses located on Brighton Avenue near the beach had floodwaters coming in the doors.
Some water entered Ralph’s Tailoring Shop on Tuesday and every time a car drove past “tides would come in,” said tailor Damen Lee.
Several roads remained impassable in Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County on Wednesday morning.
Police reported closures on Texas Road at the Monroe border, West Greystone Road at the border of Spotswood and Route 516 near the Old Bridge Post Office.
Flooding on Route 17 north in Hasbrouck Heights near Route 46 also closed down a portion of the highway, the state Department of Transportation said Wednesday.
The highest rainfall total was 7.76 inches reported in Pennington in Mercer County, according to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network.
Fairview in Burlington County recorded more than 6 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly office. Dozens of other towns across New Jersey picked up more than 2 inches of rain Tuesday night, according to the weather service’s precipitation monitor.
In addition to the flooding, a few thousand homes and businesses remained without power as of Wednesday morning after peaking at more than 25,000 outages Tuesday night.
More than 100 flights have been canceled already Wednesday at Newark Liberty, John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, according to Flightaware.com. Hundreds of flights are delayed. Only seven flights out of Philadelphia have been scrapped.
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NJ Advance Media staff writer Len Melisurgo and intern Rebecca Heath contributed to this report.
Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com.
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