Two women were killed in the violent overnight flash floods that wreaked havoc on New Jersey and New York City on Monday night.
The victims were trapped in their car as rain water rushed through the streets of Plainfield – shoving them into the Cedar Brook.
According to witnesses speaking to ABC 7, the strong floodwaters tossed the car from side to side before eventually propelling it into the brook, meant to manage the city’s floodwaters.
One man recalled to the outlet that one of the women was hear shouting ‘I don’t want to die!’
Reports indicate that a quick-thinking bystander attempted to break one of the car’s windows to rescue the occupants, but despite his efforts, he couldn’t overcome the powerful currents.
Once first responders were able to retrieve their bodies, both women were pronounced dead at the scene.
‘It was so flooded it was like a river going through, and I’ve never seen anything like this before,’ one local resident, Theresa Lee, told ABC 7.
Details about the fatalities remain scarce, as police have not disclosed much, though the Daily Mail has contacted them seeking more information and confirmation of identities.
North Plainfield police officers and first responders had to trek through water up to save more than 40 people who were swept away by the storm (pictured: two men trying to save a child in Plainfield)
A home in North Plainfield had exploded during the storm after its gas line erupted (pictured: the aftermath on Tuesday morning)
In some areas, the streets more closely resembled rivers than roads – with dead fish washed up on the asphalt after the rain subsided (pictured)
North Plainfield police officers and first responders had to trek through water up to their chests to save more than 40 people who were swept away by the storm.
Authorities also said that anywhere from 30 to 50 vehicles were wiped out and destroyed during the floods the National Weather Service (NWS) warned could be ‘life-threatening.’
One home in North Plainfield had even exploded during the floods after its gas line erupted.
Firefighters arrived to the home completely up in flames as the rushed inside to save its four occupants.
No injuries were reported and the residents were safely evacuated, ABC 7 reported.
Three other nearby homes were also evacuated for problems with their foundations related to the storm surge.
The flood’s eerie aftermath was apparent on Tuesday morning, with roads wrecked, homes damaged, pieces of pavement missing and debris scattered throughout the shaken city.
One home in North Plainfield had even exploded during the floods after its gas line erupted (pictured)
Authorities also said that anywhere from 30 to 50 vehicles in North Plainfield were wiped out and destroyed during the floods (pictured)
In some areas, the streets more closely resembled rivers than roads – with dead fish washed up on the asphalt after the rain subsided.
Governor Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency, as neighborhoods across Union, Essex and Somerset Counties were also impacted by the intense downpour.
These two fatalities come less than two weeks after two men died in Plainfield when a tree fell on top of their car during a powerful storm on July 3.
The victims were Rocco Sansone, 79, and Brian Ernesto Valladares, 25.
‘To lose four residents in such a short span of time is unimaginable,’ Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp said in a statement.
‘We mourn with the families, and we remain committed to doing all we can to strengthen our emergency response systems and protect our residents from future harm.’
NYC also faced the brunt of the severe thunderstorms – which caused astonishing flooding across all five boroughs.
The victims were trapped in their car as rain water rushed through the streets of Plainfield – shoving them into the Cedar Brook (pictured: a truck in North Plainfield submerged in rain water)
The two women’s deaths on Monday night came less than two weeks after two men, Rocco Sansone, 79, and Brian Ernesto Valladares (pictured), 25, suffered the same fate
The NWS raised the alarm on Monday night as the deluge intensified across the Northeast, prompting major delays at JFK and LaGuardia airports for both departures and arrivals.
Video showed subway cars packed with passengers filling with water as people crouched on the seats to avoid getting soaked.
The floods that rocked New York and New Jersey came about a week after at least 132 people tragically died during a flash flooding event in Texas. At least 101 people are still missing.
