Bergen, Passaic Towns Suffer Millions in Flood Damage

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — Little Falls and Woodland Park officials said millions of dollars in residential and municipal damage was done due to flooding from a thunderstorm that dropped 5 inches of rain in less than an hour Saturday.

Little Falls Mayor James Damiano and Woodland Park Mayor Keith Kazmark gave an overview of the damage caused by the flooding of the Peckman River and flash floods. (See related: Homes Uninhabitable, Belongings Litter Streets Following Flood)

The mayors said it was the worst flooding they have seen since Hurricane Floyd hit North Jersey in 1999.

Little Falls suffered an estimated $4.9 million in residential losses. Woodland Park suffered between an estimated $3.2 and $3.3 million in residential and municipal losses.

Some sections of both towns, including two streets on Garrett Mountain, were flooded where flooding does not normally occur.

Damiano and Kazmark said they are working to appeal to The White House for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and loans to flood victims.

Little Falls officials have toured nearly all of the town and police are monitoring affected homes to ensure residents' safety; residents living in 20 homes were displaced and another seven whose foundations have been badly damaged could be evacuated soon, Damiano said.

Little Falls Municipal Department of Public Works employees and outside contractors have been working to remove all of the downed trees from the Peckman River, but there is a lot more work to be done. The water level of the Peckman rose very fast due to how much water fell and the amount of debris, including dozens of vehicles from a nearby car dealership, Damiano said.

"I do believe that the flooding event was exacerbated by the cars being dragged in the river," Kazmark said.

Passaic Valley High School suffered $80,000 worth of damage.

In Woodland Park, 210 homes were affected and 75 businesses on Lackawanna Avenue, including several at 86 Lackawanna Ave. The Boys & Girls Club and senior center received 13 inches of water and the municipal athletic fields need to be treated before they can be used, Kazmark said.

Dogs were rescued from rising water and Little Falls residents lost their homes and possessions following flash floods Sunday and Monday.

Damiano declared a state of emergency in the township Sunday.

Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency Tuesday in Bergen, Passaic, and three other counties heavily impacted by flooding.

Murphy urged all New Jerseyans to exercise caution when traveling into rain-impacted areas. He stressed that motorists should not attempt to cross flooded streets, and to remain vigilant for power lines that may be brought down by falling trees.

Residents may visit ready.nj.gov for information on how to build an emergency preparedness kit, plan ahead, and prepare your family for emergencies. The NJ Office of Emergency Management provides important weather updates and safety information on Twitter at @ReadyNJ.

The speed and ferocity that the thunderstorm hit the area with made it difficult to properly respond to it, officials said. Some residents were evacuated ahead of time, but not all.

"Flash flooding is something people need to prepare to happen quickly," Kazmark said. "There was not enough time to get people out of harm's way."

That will not happen again, Kazmark said. A flood warning is in effect for the Passaic River at Pine Brook.

It rained a little Tuesday afternoon and more rain could fall before midnight, the National Weather Service is forecasting.

If there is a potential for the Passaic River to flood, Kazmark said, local first responders will know ahead of time. It takes a lot more water, over a longer period of time, to get the Passaic to flood stage than it does the Peckman.

"We're hopeful that we won't see any considerable flash flooding," Kazmark said.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Patch file photo of Passaic County flood damage.