Route 35 South, Back Bay Areas Flooded In Toms River After Storm

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Heavy rain, high tide and wind-driven waves caused flooding along lowlying areas of Toms River on Monday, police and residents said.

On the barrier island, a reader told Patch Route 35 southbound was flooded and the water was deep enough that vehicles were throwing off wakes as they drove along the middle of the lanes on the crest of the road.

Water was several inches deep on Strickland Boulevard and on Kittiwake Boulevard, and the reader, who asked not to be identified, said water was covering Bay Boulevard on the mainland side of Barnegat Bay as well.

Toms River police had received reports of flooding issues in the Green Island section of Toms River as well, said Ralph Stocco, the department spokesman.

Videos posted by a Patch reader on Twitter showed water coming over bulkheads and flooding roads in the Silverton section.

"It's coming into houses again," said the reader, who goes by the Twittter handle @Hurricane Force1.

Heavy rain across the area brought with it thunderstorms and lightning that was blamed for damage to the Grenville Inn in Bay Head. At least 2 inches of rain fell across Ocean County in a four-hour span, according to the National Weather Service.

Back-bay flooding also was reported just up the road near Kettle Creek in Brick, where the water was continuing to rise more than two hours after the 1:10 p.m. high tide in the back bays had passed.

Photos provided by a Patch reader and published with permission