Deadly flooding leaves destruction, 1 dead across NY's Hudson Valley
NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Roads in New York's Hudson Valley were turned to rivers swallowing up countless cars and basements filled with water. It prompted repeated rescues of people either trapped in their homes or vehicles amid the fast rising flood waters Sunday evening.
"In an hour it went from zero to 100," said Shane O'Flaherty. "I had to move all my trucks off to the side of the house and I only got my truck this far and I got stuck because it was so fast flowing."
O'Flaherty watched from his porch as workers went about repairing his crumbling road and an exposed gas line. His driveway was destroyed.
The regional impacts were devastating.
A woman died trying to leave her Highlands home during a flash floods.
Closer to home for O'Flaherty, he shared pictures of the neighboring senior trailer community that became inundated with water.
"It's bad. I've never seen it like that up here," said Linda Maffucci just returning home to her trailer.
She said the flooding happened so quickly she could not get home and had to ride the night out on high ground in her car.
"What else was I going to do?" She said. "I was worried about the cat. I was worried about the house."
"Terror and devastation right here less than 24 hours ago," said Gov. Kathy Hochul as she joined local leaders at a briefing Monday morning.
They said the storm hits so quickly first responders found themselves making repeated rescues by just driving around.
Many of the major roads were still impassable Monday, including large stretches of the Palisades and 9W.
The governor acknowledged the long road to recovery and said her office has already been in touch with the White House and FEMA.
"This community and this region is resilient," Hochul said. "They will build back, and we will be there every step of the way."