Nor'easter Death Toll Rises to One, With Another Missing Amid Widespread Flooding and Power Outages
A powerful nor'easter has caused significant disruption along the East Coast, resulting in at least one fatality, one missing person, and widespread power outages.
A deadly nor'easter has battered the East Coast, leaving at least one person dead, another missing, and several injured as of Sunday morning. Over 100,000 people have lost power across the Northeast, with authorities expecting the number to increase due to high winds and heavy rainfall.
Coastal flooding, downed trees, power lines, 65 mph winds, and intense rip currents have impacted New England, with significant flooding reported in parts of New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Connecticut, and Virginia. Streets and roads in these areas have been submerged by the deluge.
The storm led to ground stops and flight cancellations at airports across New York and New Jersey on Sunday, following more than 400 flight disruptions on Saturday. Widespread delays continued on Sunday at major airports including LaGuardia, JFK, and Boston Logan International.
On Saturday night, 56-year-old New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) employee Leighton Brown was killed in Brooklyn when an uprooted tree fell on him as he walked through a park. "He was one of the best employees that we had here at Cyprus Hills Development," said James Alcivar, the tenant association president of NYCHA. "If you had work that needed to be done in your house, he was the guy to call. He comes here dedicated. As you can see, this tragic accident, he was doing what he loved." The NYCHA issued a statement expressing deep sadness and offering condolences to Brown's family and the NYCHA community.
Additionally, a man is missing after vanishing while swimming off Robert Moses State Park on Fire Island, Long Island. New York State Police reported he was hit by 18-foot waves around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. A search for the unidentified man was suspended due to darkness and was expected to resume Sunday.
Four other individuals, including two children aged one and seven, and two women aged 40 and 41, sustained injuries when a tree fell at a Brooklyn playground.
Authorities have issued evacuation orders for several coastal towns in New Jersey and New York due to dangerous conditions. The storm system is expected to continue impacting the region on Monday.
Images from the affected areas showed residents navigating high waters. In Wildwood, New Jersey, families were seen trekking through flooded streets with luggage, while firefighters in Atlantic City waded through knee-deep water to assist those stranded. Beach Haven, New Jersey, saw residents using paddle boards to move through submerged areas. Kenny Formica, owner of Surf City Marina at the Jersey Shore, described the nor'easter as "something else," noting that the flooding was reminiscent of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
