NORTH PLAINFIELD, New Jersey (WABC) — Powerful and slow-moving thunderstorms triggered dangerous flash flooding on Monday night, prompting dozens of rescues in New Jersey, and a state of emergency.
One of the hardest hit areas was North Plainfield in Somerset County, where Mayor Lawrence La Ronde said crews responded to at least 30 homes to rescue people.
The mayor spoke with Eyewitness News from the North Plainfield Recreation Center, which is assisting up to 30 people that they are sheltering for the night.
Mayor La Ronde said everyone should be sheltering in place, and that there are rescues still in progress.
“We’ve probably got about eight, nine streets that have been flooded out completely, impassible,” he said. “We’re still in the process of doing rescues of people’s homes that are flooded and trapped in their homes.”
In the Netherwood section of Plainfield, hours-long traffic jams kept people from getting home. Many of them waited it out on higher ground, saying they just didn’t know it would be this bad.
“The rain started, and all the flash flood warnings came. The alerts on the phone. They came like 15 minutes after the rain started, so that didn’t help at all,” Konstantopoulos said.
Liliana Marquez told Eyewitness News that it was terrifying getting out of work into waist deep flood water, all to get stuck in the snarled traffic.
“We’ve just been going in circles, every road has been closed, and then from the previous rainstorm, it was already bad around here with trees coming down,” said Elias Konstantopoulos, who was struck in traffic for hours. “It’s not fun to be a mile away from your house and it’s three hours to get there.”
The town’s response on Monday comes just a week after one person died in North Plainfield when a line of severe weather carved a path of destruction through Central Jersey.
As a result of the Monday’s storms, all North Plainfield summer school classes, and offices will be closed on Tuesday.
Another hard-hit area was Scotch Plains in Union County.
Emergency crews have been helping remove abandoned cars from the roadway, and have rescued some people by boat.
Dan Krauth is live in Scotch Plains with more on the rescues that took place Monday night.
It’s not how families in Union County expected to get home on Monday night. Francis Englert was one of people who had to be rescued.
“I felt hopeless, I mean we were like marooned basically,” Englert said.
He was rescued from his van as he was rushing to get home but he didn’t make it.
“I found myself… the water just kept rising, a little bit started getting into the van,” he said.
Many people who were rescued from the rising waters are still waiting to get home.
“I sheltered in a parking light with a bunch of guys and then I drove and tried to get over and then I was stuck,” said local resident Huui Chin.
Families who have lived along these streets for decades say the area is known for minor flooding, but they say they have never seen anything like this before.
They are grateful the hardest rain has now stopped, and worried what the waters will leave behind, and what happens when they return next time.
“What’s causing it? That’s my take. More of this is coming and we have to prepare for this somehow,” Huui said.
A lot of the people who were rescued commended the quick emergency response. Many local agencies worked together quickly to rescue people.
While the rain has stopped, many of the roads, including Route 22, the main thorough through town, are still shut down.
Meanwhile, Scotch Plains Public Library announced that it would be closed on Tuesday, “for the safety of our staff and community.”
Governor Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency, “given flash flooding and high levels of rainfall in parts of the state.”
He’s urging residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
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