Five people killed in Pennsylvania flash floods as wild storm hits the Northeast

A fifth body was found Sunday as the search continued Sunday for two children - a nine-month-old baby and a toddler - who are missing after being swept away in a flash flood in Pennsylvania as torrential rain battered the Northeast over the weekend.

Several people became trapped in their cars and were swept away when the flash flooding hit Bucks County on Saturday after an astonishing 6-7 inches of rain poured down within an hour, officials said.   

Three people - all adults - were initially found dead outside their cars in the floodwaters in Bucks County. Officials confirmed in the latest update that fourth and fifth bodies were found.

A nine-month-old baby boy, a two-year-old girl, both from the same family, are still missing, Upper Makefield Fire Chief Tim Brewer said. 

'We're treating this as a rescue, but fairly certain this is a recovery mission,' Brewer said. Search and Rescue crews are working around the clock in a 'very inaccessible area of the township' to locate them.

Road signs sit submerged in Pennsylvania as parts of the state contend with the mass flooding that hit the area Saturday night

Flood Watches have been issued to more than 57 million residents along Interstate 95 from Northern Virginia to Maine as severe weather batters the Northeast on Sunday

Drivers make their way through heavy rain and floods in New Haven, Connecticut. 16 July, 2023. Flash flood and tornado warnings were issued for the North East. At least five people were killed in Pennsylvania yesterday when flash floods washed away cars

Fire Chief Tim Brewer delivers updates on the deceased following immense flooding in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on Saturday night

Drivers make their way through heavy rain and floods in New Haven, Connecticut on Sunday

The only recorded deaths due to flooding have thus far come out of Pennsylvania

Brewer confirmed that one of the bodies was the mother of the two children who remain missing.

'As they tried to escape the fierce floodwaters, dad took his 4-year-old son while a mother and the grandmother grabbed the two additional children,' said Brewer.

'Miraculously, dad and son were able to get to safety. However, the grandmother, the mother and the two children were swept away by the floodwaters.' 

The wild storm continued into Sunday with severe weather conditions halting flights at several airports including New York's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy, Newark and Boston Logan International while more than 1,000 flights across the US have been canceled, according to FlightAware.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings and tornado watches for parts of Connecticut, western Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. In New York City, a flood watch is in effect until midnight.

In Pennsylvania, a disaster declaration has been issued for the area where crews continue their search for the people swept away from their vehicle when they got caught in a flash flood on Saturday. 

Approximately 11 vehicles were on General Washington Memorial Boulevard near the river when they were caught in the sudden downpour and three of them were swept away. Eight people were rescued from cars and two from Houghs Creek, he said.

Brewer said the storms dumped about 6-7 inches of rain in an hour, added: 'In my 44 years, I've never seen anything like it.'

None of the vehicles drove into the flash flood, officials confirmed, but instead were already on the road when the rain poured down and the flood waters rose quickly.

Officials said they had never seen anything like it before. 

'I thought Hurricane Ida was the benchmark, but this is the benchmark,' Brewer said, referring to the deadly and extremely destructive Category 4 storm in 2021 that became the second-most damaging and intense hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. behind Hurricane Katrina. 

Showers and thunderstorms are expected in New York City on Sunday and are likely to bring 2-3 inches of rain across NYC, with some areas receiving 4-6 inches of rain. It’s possible for some areas to receive seven inches of rain. 

The excessive rainfall will likely cause rapid, life-threatening flooding to roadways and basements. Officials urge people to prepare now to move to higher ground if needed. If travel is a must, they say to exercise caution and avoid flooded roadways.

Earlier Sunday in Lakewood, New Jersey, multiple homes were evacuated after lightning struck a gas line and set it on fire.

Victims of the flood were swept away as they exited their cars on roads that were hit hard by the rising waters

Two people - including a nine-month-old baby - are missing and five people are dead after being swept away in a flash flood in Pennsylvania when torrential rain battered the Northeast 

The severe weather is expected to bring more heavy rain for much of Sunday and into the evening with storms producing gusty winds and the threat of more flash flooding

A car sits abandoned in flood water after heavy rain in New Haven, Connecticut. 16 July, 2023. Flash flood and tornado warnings were issued for the North East. At least four people were killed in Pennsylvania yesterday when flash floods washed away cars

Emergency crews and law enforcement remained on the scene on Sunday as the search continued for two missing children

Emergency crews and law enforcement remained on the scene on Sunday as the search continued f

In Lakewood, New Jersey, multiple homes were evacuated after lightning struck a gas line and set it on fire. The lightning strike appeared to hit a tree and underground pipe on Madison Ave

Photos showed firefighters at the scene waiting for the gas company as the fire was extinguished and residents were evacuated, the Lakewood Scoop reported

Unclaimed luggage at Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey. 16 July, 2023. Flash flood and tornado warnings were issued for the North East - the severe weather caused thousands of delays and cancelations

The lightning strike appeared to hit a tree and underground pipe on Madison Avenue in the Lakewood area of New Jersey, which ignited the fire, officials said. It happened around 6 a.m. Sunday. 

Photos showed firefighters at the scene waiting for the gas company as the fire was extinguished and residents were evacuated, the Lakewood Scoop reported.

The severe weather is expected to bring more heavy rain for much of Sunday and into the evening with storms producing gusty winds and the threat of more flash flooding.

Flood Watches have been issued to more than 57 million residents along Interstate 95 from Northern Virginia to Maine. 

In Boston, a Tornado Watch has been issued for Boston and surrounding counties until 3 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. The Massachusetts counties include Berkshire, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Worcester. 

The heaviest rainfall is expected to clear out by Monday, but there will few scattered showers across the region into Tuesday, according to Fox Weather. 

About 1-2 inches of rain is expected north of the Delmarva Peninsula, with 2-3 inches in some areas through the week. In New England, thunderstorms could dump isolated amounts of 3-5 inches of rain.

The rain has the potential for excessive runoff and some streams and rivers that are already at a heightened level, and meteorologists say flash flood threat is considered to be 'very likely' across the region.

'The Green Mountains, the White Mountains, the Berkshires – if you live in those valleys, you really need to pay attention to this forecast because it's, unfortunately, really looking dire,' said FOX Weather meteorologist Jane Minar.

At least four people are dead and up to a dozen more are missing after flash flooding and several inches of rain rocked southeast Pennsylvania just outside Philadelphia on Saturday

Dean Iovino with the National Weather Service said more rain fell in two hours in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on saturday than the city of Las Vegas gets in a year.

'There's a lot of water rescues happening right now. There's a lot going on,' she added, with Iovino saying there may be as many as a dozen missing. 

He noted that the county's proximity to the Delaware River made it 'a problematic area' for flooding and the flash flood was narrowly focused on it. 

At the peak of the storm, neighboring police departments announced that they were helping with a search and rescue operation for those lost in the flooding.

Police in Upper Makefield said in a Facebook post that much of the town had fallen victim to the flooding.

'We apologize for not keeping you updated,' they wrote. 'We have been dealing with search and rescue missions. There are numerous places on the township that have been flooded.' 

'When we can, we will update you. Until then, keep the families in your thoughts and prayers.'

About four inches of rain an hour were falling in Bucks County during the heart of the storm at around 5:30 p.m., officials said. Dean Iovino with the National Weather Service said more rain fell in two hours than the city of Las Vegas gets in a year

Two women and one man were found dead in the Washington Crossing area of Upper Makefield Township. The identity of the fourth person dead has not been made public

Officials in Upper Makefield said that the remaining missing include a family of four, with a two-year-old and a nine-month-old

At the peak of the storm, neighboring police departments announced that they were helping with a search and rescue operation for those lost in the flooding

Four state highways in Bucks County were closed due to the flooding, according to the state department of transportation.

A local resident, Nick Primola, told abc6 that he saw cars being swept away and upside down along the roads. 

'I guess it was just fortunate timing because the people who were there probably just 10 minutes before didn't have as much luck. They really didn't have any warning and they were caught up in it,' he said.

'I haven't seen anything like this before this quick. I mean this is an area where there are a lot of waterways, so people are used to flooding, but I think that's why it snuck up on these people who were driving,' Primola added.

Officials told Fox29 the roads are likely to be closed for an extended amount of time.

Four state highways in Bucks County were closed due to the flooding, according to the state department of transportation

Officials told reporters that the roads are likely to be closed for an extended amount of time

Police in Upper Makefield said in a Facebook post that much of the town had flooded

An expert noted that the county's proximity to the Delaware River made it 'a problematic area' for flooding and the flash flood was narrowly focused on it

Motorists are being told to avoid the closed areas until they can clean up and repair the roadways.

The National Weather Service is warning that things could get worse, with the entire region under a 24-hour Flood Watch on Sunday into Monday. 

'With all this humidity, there's nothing to clear it out,' Iovino said.