Two people have died in Plainfield, New Jersey, after their vehicle was swept into a brook during intense overnight storms.
The extreme weather also triggered flash flooding across New York City’s subway system.
The storm dumped more than five centimetres of rain in just one hour, marking New York’s second-heaviest hourly downpour on record.
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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency and urged residents to “stay alert” as flash flood warnings spread across the metropolitan area.
In Manhattan, a dramatic “geyser” erupted from a manhole before flooding platforms and tracks.
He also expressed concern over extreme weather trends linked to climate change: “That’s the new reality.”
“We’re not unique, but we’re in one of these sort of high-humidity, high-temperature, high-storm-intensity patterns right now,” Murphy said.
Local emergency services reported swift responses.
“Emergency personnel responded quickly but tragically, both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene,” said in the statement.
In Pennsylvania, flash floods damaged roads and homes, with hundreds of highways and rail services also being disrupted.
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