Northeast Rain Prompts Flood Warnings, Flight Cancellations

At least five people died in a flash flood in Pennsylvania during a weekend of heavy rain that has prompted flood warnings across the Northeast and caused travel delays.

Heavy rainfall around 5:30 p.m. local time Saturday created a rush of water that carried three vehicles off a road in Washington Crossing, Pa., located about 30 miles north of Philadelphia. Officials in Bucks County’s Upper Makefield Township initially confirmed three fatalities.

On Sunday, two more victims were found, officials said. A 9-month-old boy and his 2-year-old sister were still missing, officials said.

Officials didn’t release the names of the victims. The children had been traveling with their father, mother, grandmother and their older brother when the flash flood occurred, according to Upper Makefield Township officials. 

The father was able to get to safety with the 4-year-old son, officials said. The other two children, along with their mother and grandmother, were swept away. 

The family was from Charleston, S.C., and came to Pennsylvania to visit relatives. They were on their way to a barbeque when the car was swept away, officials said. 

Storms continued to roll over much of the Northeast on Sunday. In Vermont, where people are still recovering from days of flooding, more rain prompted warnings of possible floods and landslides. 

“My team and I continue to monitor the situation as more rain falls in Vermont,” Gov. Phil Scott said on social media. “There are flash flood warnings throughout the state today. Remain vigilant and be prepared.”

Pennsylvania’s Emergency Management Agency also said it is closely tracking water levels in the southeastern part of the state. 

“We’re seeing flash floods again this weekend, with major impacts to Southeastern Pennsylvania. Water rescue teams deployed overnight,” the agency said. 

Sunday’s storms caused cancellations of more than 1,000 flights, according to the tracking service FlightAware. Hundreds of flights were also delayed. 

Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey had the most cancellations, with over 300 on Sunday. New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia Airport were also hard hit, as was Boston’s Logan Airport. 

The Federal Aviation Administration warned travelers to check with airlines before heading to airports.

“Slow-moving t-storms will cause delays this am into early pm in the Northeast, Midwest & Southeast,” the agency said on social media. 

Flash-flood warnings were in effect for much of New England and the tri-state area, according to the National Weather Service. 

A powerful summer storm coming from the west brought 1 to 5 inches of rain from eastern Virginia through New Jersey and into New England early Sunday. The storm is expected to continue overnight, bringing an additional 2 to 3 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. 

Persistent rain last weekend caused catastrophic flooding in parts of New York and Vermont. In Montpelier, Vt., water filled the streets at levels not seen in nearly a century as search-and-rescue teams around the state raced to reach stranded residents.

Dozens of roads around Montpelier and Barre were closed because of floodwaters and washouts. In Ludlow, flooding overtook a wastewater treatment plant and staff were rescued, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Write to Ginger Adams Otis at [email protected]