At least 9 dead in New York City, New Jersey & Pennsylvania in wake of flash flooding and ‘historic’ rainfall from Hurricane Ida

Nine people have died in New York City, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, according to media reports, following freak flash flooding and “historic” rainfall from Hurricane Ida that prompted officials to declare states of emergency.

Storm Ida has claimed at least nine lives in New York and New Jersey, according to reports from local media outlet NBC. One death was confirmed in Passaic, New Jersey, while seven fatalities were counted in New York City, including a two-year-old boy. Another death was reported in Upper Dublin Township, Pennsylvania.

The two East Coast states were battered by “historic” freak weather conditions, as tornadoes spiraled through New Jersey on Wednesday, causing extensive damage and destroying homes. Meanwhile, in the Big Apple, footage online showed high levels of flooding in subway stations, and even in some basement apartments and backyards.

Bill de Blasio, New York City’s mayor, imposed a state of emergency in response to the “historic weather event… with record-breaking rain across the city, brutal flooding and dangerous conditions on our roads.”

New York’s National Weather Service also issued its first-ever flash flood warning for the metropolis. All non-emergency vehicles were ordered to be off the streets and highways until 5am on Thursday (9am GMT).

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a similar state of emergency across its 21 counties with a simple message written on Twitter, urging citizens to “stay off the roads, stay home, and stay safe” on Wednesday night.

The freak weather comes as Ida – previously listed as a landfall category 4 hurricane – tore through the East Coast. Ida was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday, but has left destruction to several cities in its wake. Parts of Louisiana are expected to be without power for up to a month after being battered by 150mph winds and torrential rain.

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