A slow-moving storm dumped record-breaking rainfall on parts of upstate New York this week, triggering flash flooding, water rescues, road closures, and a string of local emergency declarations across the Capital Region and Hudson Valley.
Storm Breaks Rainfall Records
The storm hit the Capital Region hard on Tuesday and Wednesday, delivering what officials described as unprecedented rainfall totals, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services said in a post on Facebook on Thursday. The agency said some locations saw rainfall amounts only seen once in 1000 years, while others recorded their wettest days in decades.Nearly a foot of rain fell in parts of Columbia and Rensselaer counties near Albany over a 48-hour period ending on Thursday morning, according to data from the National Weather Service. Albany itself received 8 inches of rain during that stretch.
State Response and Rescues
New York's State Emergency Operations Center was activated and swift water rescue teams were sent to help local responders in the Capital Region and Mid-Hudson areas, the state’s homeland security said in additional updates on Facebook. The agency urged residents to "turn around, don't drown" and avoid flooded roads, warning that just 6 inches of moving water can sweep away a person and a foot of moving water can carry off a car.Gov. Kathy Hochul said in her own update on Facebook on Wednesday that her administration was in contact with local authorities as the flooding worsened and that rescue teams had been deployed to support local responders. In a follow-up post on Thursday, Hochul thanked first responders and road crews for reopening roads and supporting recovery work, saying, "I'm grateful to our first responders and work crews who are on the ground supporting recovery efforts and reopening roads as quickly as possible."
First responders in Albany and other towns pulled people from flooded homes and vehicles on Wednesday and pumped out flooded basements, though no deaths or injuries were reported and waters had started receding by Thursday.
Historic Mill Destroyed
Among the hardest-hit properties was a centuries-old grist mill in Castleton-on-Hudson. Owner Andy Klein said that a neighbor warned him of rising water around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, and that a nearby creek flooded his property with 3 to 4 feet of water, destroying the mill's oldest section. "It's just a horrible event," Klein said. "The mill's been there for hundreds of years, and [a] very sad event. I'm a big fan of history, and I just watched a building being torn apart." Castleton-on-Hudson's water plant was also damaged, prompting a boil-water advisory and calls to conserve water.Local States of Emergency
Multiple local governments declared emergencies on Wednesday as roads flooded and became impassable. Rensselaer Mayor Michael DeFrancesco declared an emergency through 7 a.m. on Thursday, warning of hazardous travel near the Columbia Turnpike and other low-lying areas. Rensselaer County, the Town of Schodack, Greene County, the Town of Chatham, the Village of Coxsackie, and the Village of Castleton all issued similar declarations amid widespread road closures.In Montgomery County, Executive Pete Vroman declared a local emergency for the Town of Amsterdam after flash flooding, calling it "primarily an administrative tool that allows local government to respond and recover more efficiently.” Vroman's formal declaration, effective from 10 a.m. on July 29 to 10 a.m. on July 30, cited washouts, erosion, and infrastructure damage as threats to public safety.
Putnam Valley Supervisor Alison Jolicoeur declared a 30-day state of emergency effective from July 29, restricting nonessential travel on six roads—including Cimarron Road and Canopus Hollow Road—for five days, citing flash flooding and numerous road and bridge closures.
Deadly Flooding in New Jersey
The flooding extended beyond New York. Rainfall topped 7 inches in several eastern New York locations, and at least one child died in New Jersey after being swept into the Passaic River on Wednesday evening. Passaic Mayor Hector Lora said in a post early on Thursday morning that a 10-year-old boy's body had been recovered and a search continued for a 10-year-old girl after the two were caught in the river's high waters. An 11-year-old girl, the boy's sister, escaped the waters and survived.The Patterson Police Department said the Passaic River was expected to crest before slowly receding, warning that flooded roads and fast-moving water remained dangerous, according to its post on X on Wednesady. Rescue crews from the Rutherford Fire Department and Wallington Fire Department Rescue Co. 204 also responded to search efforts along the river.