On Sunday, severe thunderstorms that dumped up to five inches of rain caused a rare Flash Flood Emergency as flooding swamped roadways and penetrated houses, contributing to three fatalities in central New York.
Oneida County’s emergency manager reported three fatalities when heavy storms on Sunday knocked down multiple trees onto at least two separate structures near Clark Mills, New York, just before 4 a.m. ET, according to storm reports from the National Weather Service office in Binghamton, New York.
Thunderstorms caused major damage in the communities of Kirkland, Lee, Westmoreland, and Trenton, according to Oneida County officials, and left over 30,000 people without power. Power restoration efforts are underway by National Grid technicians.
“We are doing everything we can to respond quickly and safely to the damage left by these storms,” Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr., stated. “Our emergency teams are on the ground clearing roadways, coordinating with utility crews and assessing the needs of affected communities. I urge everyone to stay alert, avoid downed power lines and give our crews the space they need to do their work.”
Throughout Sunday morning, central New York was drenched by the same storm system.
The Binghamton NWS office declared a Flash Flood Emergency for Chenango County just before nine in the morning ET.
Between three and five inches of rain had already fallen, according to the NWS, and there was significant flash flooding going on.
There have been reports of homes becoming submerged under water, highways and bridges being overtaken by water, and at least ten people being left stranded by floods.
There have been reports of flooding in places including Norwich, Sherburne, and New Berlin.
Because of the floods, Chenango County has declared a state of emergency.
The NWS issued a Flash Flood Emergency. “This is a Flash Flood Emergency for Chenango County,” the agency said. “This is a particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!”
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Outside of the emergency zones, flash flooding was also brought on by strong to severe storms. In Madison County, for example, the video above depicts rushing floodwaters on a farm in Morrisville, New York.
Crews from the New York Department of Transportation were cleaning up debris from roads after the same cluster of thunderstorms earlier Sunday morning caused severe weather farther north in the state, including almost two dozen reports of damaging winds or wind damage.
Additionally, portions of Susquehanna and Wayne counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as Broome and Tioga counties in central New York, are under a flash flood warning through Sunday afternoon.
