Historic flooding in Connecticut triggers widespread rescues, evacuations

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

WATER RESCUES AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE IN PARTS OF CONNECTICUT.

THIS AFTER SUNDAY RAINS BROUGHT HEAVY FLOODING TO PARTS OF THE STATE.

SOME AREAS EXPERIENCING A HISTORIC DELUGE, RECEIVING OVER 10 INCHES OF RAIN IN JUST 12 HOURS — METEOROLOGISTS TERMED THE WEATHER EVENT A ‘ONCE-IN-1,000-YEAR’ RAINFALL.

RIVERS REACHED MAJOR FLOOD STAGES RAPIDLY, ROADS WERE TRANSFORMED INTO RUSHING WATERWAYS, AND MUDSLIDES CAUSED MULTIPLE EVACUATIONS.

IN RESPONSE, LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES, INCLUDING FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS, WERE CALLED TO NUMEROUS INCIDENTS INVOLVING STRANDED VEHICLES, FLOODED HOMES,

AND MISSING PERSONS.

GOVERNOR NED LAMONT REPORTED THAT AT LEAST 100 PEOPLE REQUIRED ASSISTANCE FROM SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS.

TWO PEOPLE WERE REPORTED MISSING AFTER BEING SWEPT AWAY BY THE SWOLLEN LITTLE RIVER IN OXFORD, AND 50 CAMPERS BECAME STRANDED IN KETTLETOWN STATE PARK DUE TO WASHED-OUT BRIDGES.

IN BEACON FALLS, FIREFIGHTERS RESCUED 19 PEOPLE AND A DOG FROM A RESTAURANT AND HOME, NAVIGATING OVER 100 FEET OF TREACHEROUS FLOODWATERS.

EMERGENCY CREWS RESPONDED TO MULTIPLE CAR RESCUES AS VEHICLES WERE OVERCOME BY HEAVY WATERS ON THE ROADWAYS.

AUTHORITIES ASKED PEOPLE TO STAY OFF ROADS AND NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODWATERS.

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ALSO SAW POWERFUL DOWN POURS.

THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT WARNED OF FLOODING IN CENTRAL PARK – AND SEVERAL METRO LINES WERE DOWN MONDAY MORNING.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR..