Multiple Water Rescues As NJ Roads Flood; More Storms, Flood Threat Linger

First responders rescued multiple people on Saturday as flash flooding swallowed roads and vehicles across New Jersey.

The National Weather Service warned of the potential for flash flooding heading into Saturday, and that warning came true as heavy rain fell across the Garden State.

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More than 5,000 homes and businesses were without power across the state, including more than 4,800 Jersey Central Power & Light customers, according to the JCP&L website.

And weather forecasters say another round of storms is in store Saturday night, with a continuing threat of flooding until 2 a.m., the National Weather Service said.

The weather service canceled a tornado watch that had been in effect about 8:30 p.m.

Rain fell at 1 to 3 inches per hour, and the storms packed significant lightning that caused at least one fire and knocked out radar equipment at the National Weather Service's Mount Holly office, the weather service said.

"KDIX (the radar system) took a direct hit from lightning earlier and will be down until at least tomorrow," the weather service said in a post on X.

The flooding closed major highways including parts of Interstate 287 and Interstate 280, and Route 44o in Middlesex County.

Portions of Routes 9, 35, 36, and 71 were closed in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties, along with multiple smaller side streets, authorities said.

In Mercer County Route 129 flooded and multiple streets in Trenton were inundated.

Water rescues were reported in Bayonne, Elizabeth and Woodbridge. Officials throughout the state were warning people to avoid driving due to the risk of roads flooding.

In Woodbridge, theAvenel Fire Department was contending with a lightning strike that set a building on fire and a water rescue at the same time, the company said.

In Elizabeth, photos of flood water on Avenel Street showed firefighters helping someone out of a car there and warned people to avoid the area.

In Jersey City, Departed Soles Brewery posted video of water pouring from its ceiling as a result of the heavy rain.

"This is not repost," the brewery's owners said, noting they had suffered similar damage in a previous storm.

The Bayonne Office of Emergency Management said the fire department's Squad 5 rescued a person who became trapped in flood water a the New Jersey Turnpike roundabout.

"Thanks to the swift actions and professionalism of our firefighters, the individual was safely rescued," Acting Fire Chief Frank Pawlowski said. "Fortunately, no injuries were reported. We remind all motorists: Never drive through flooded roadways. Turn around, don’t drown. Your safety is our top priority."

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