Heavy rains cause flooding, evacuations, rescues in NJ, NY

NEW JERSEY (WABC) — Flooding after a night of heavy rain across the Tri-State region has prompted rescues and evacuations in a number of communities.

The National Weather Service issued Flood Warnings for multiple areas in the Tri-State on Friday, including Hudson, Bergen, Morris, Essex, Passaic, Middlesex, Warren and Somerset counties in New Jersey and Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Ulster, Orange and Sullivan counties in New York.

Residents were being evacuated Friday morning in New Milford, Bergen County, where the Hackensack River was cresting.

About 14 people had to be rescued from their homes by police.

Firefighters estimate 100 residents live in the area, a known flooding location.

As bad as it appeared today, they said they have seen much worse. This was the same area impacted by Hurricane Ida in September 2021.

Still, Eyewitness News’ Derick Waller spoke by phone to a resident whose house was surrounded by water and said he never expected the river to rise so rapidly.

High tide is around 2 p.m. Friday, so they expect more flooding later.

Firefighters say there is also flooding in Oradell, north of New Milford.

According to NJ Transit, “The access roads in and out of our Oradell Bus Garage flooded, preventing the buses from starting their routes. We have utilized buses from other garages to cover as many of the trips as possible.”

NJ Transit bus service on routes 155, 157, 158, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, and 177, was being delayed until further notice.

And in Lodi, police reported localized flooding on Main Street between Union Street and Kennedy Drive and near the Passaic Avenue Bridge.

Heavy rains caused the Passaic River to overflow Thursday night, flooding a Hawthorne restaurant parking lot and prompting evacuations.

Around 300 diners at Bottagra restaurant on Wagaraw Road were trapped by rapidly rising waters just after 10 p.m. and helped out by rescuers.

“You are talking about two feet high of water,” said Gino Baglieri, a worker at the restaurant.

“It’s very scary. People slipping, sliding. People get hurt,” he said.

In nearby Paterson, firefighters were kept busy with flooding from the Passaic River, including helping workers trapped in a building at 85 5th Avenue.

Flooding was also reported north of the New Jersey state line in New York, where a driver was rescued from a car stranded at South Pascack Road and Grotke Road.

Ramapo police tweeted a photo.

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