Cleanup underway after tornadoes touch down in Delaware and New York’s Long Island
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- Tornadoes tore through Dover, Del., and Long Island’s Atlantic Beach, ripping roofs from motels and beach club cabanas as survey teams assessed damage, but officials reported no serious injuries.
- In Delaware’s capital, a state of emergency was lifted as residents returned to work and school amid scattered debris, blocked lanes and utility crews racing to restore power and services.
- Across the Northeast, torrential rains from the same storms unleashed flash flooding that shut the Long Island Expressway and left scores of motorists trapped in rising water until emergency crews rescued them.
NEW YORK — Cleanup efforts and damage assessment were underway Friday in Delaware’s capital and on Long Island, N.Y., after tornadoes touched down during storms that battered the Northeast with heavy rains and left dozens of people stranded in their cars during flash flooding.
Officials said there were no reports of any serious injuries.
The National Weather Service said a trained spotter reported a tornado in Dover, Del., during Thursday’s storms. Photos and video on social media show the roof of a motel being blown off and damage to other buildings along Route 13 northeast of downtown.
In Atlantic Beach on Long Island, images posted on social media show a large funnel cloud over the water and small buildings torn apart at a beach club. The weather service confirmed a tornado touched down on the shore, saying it started as a waterspout over the Atlantic Ocean.
Weather service crews were going to view the Delaware and Long Island damage on Friday to determine the strengths and paths of the tornadoes.
Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen said a state of emergency was lifted Friday morning to allow residents and businesses to resume normal activities. Police urged residents to be patient and set aside extra time for travel.
“There is still debris throughout the city, and crews will be out working on cleanup, repairs, and restoring services. You may encounter blocked lanes, utility crews, emergency personnel, and other delays,” police said on social media.
On Long Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said first responders rescued people trapped in their vehicles during flooding.
In other parts of New York, flooding caused part of the Long Island Expressway in Queens to close in both directions, according to New York City Emergency Management. Photos on social media showed lines of stopped cars as emergency crews traversed the water.
In Jersey City, N.J., emergency crews rescued 69 people trapped in cars that were overtaken by flash flooding, said Mayor James Solomon. Emergency crews used small inflatable boats to reach people who were stranded.
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