Rivers overflow, evacuations urged as more rain falls on Northeast

TRENTON, N.J. – A seventh straight day of rain across much of the soggy Northeast trapped motorists, delayed airline flights and sent streams surging over their banks Thursday.

Flood warnings covered parts of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, and residents in some New Jersey communities were urged to evacuate their homes.

Northern New Jersey received as much as 6 inches of rain in two days, and forecasters said some areas of the state could get more rain through Saturday. A deluge over the weekend dumped about 5 inches across the state and as much as 10 inches in a few spots.

Across the Northeast, at least 10 people have died since last weekend because of the downpours, and four others were missing in New Hampshire.

The National Guard handed out thousands of sandbags in New Jersey’s Essex and Passaic counties. Inmates from the Passaic County jail were pressed into duty at a public works garage filling the bags with road sand normally used during snowstorms.

Water lapped at the foundations of some Bergen County homes, and officials there expected rivers to swell even more.

“We’re just bracing for the next storm,” said county Executive Dennis McNerney. “But we’re not building an ark just yet.”

In New York’s Central Park, 1.98 inches of rain fell between midnight Wednesday and 6:30 p.m. Thursday on top of 4.26 inches on Wednesday.

Water covered dozens of highways and roads around the region, including part of the Garden State Parkway, and police rescued people from a vehicle that had stalled in floodwaters in Jersey City.

Incoming flights at two of the region’s three major airports were delayed by more than an hour and a half.

In Connecticut, thousands of homes and businesses lost power, including the University of Bridgeport, which canceled classes Thursday. The downpours came after a dry spell across much of the region.

“We literally had a drought meeting the day before. I highly suspect when we get together next week, the drought for the time being is over,” said Douglas Glowacki, an environmental analyst with the state of Connecticut.

New Jersey activated its emergency management office, getting high-water rescue vehicles and swift-boat rescue teams ready.

Alstead, N.H., a town of 2,000, suffered the most damage from last weekend’s flooding. At least 12 homes were washed away and dozens more were damaged heavily. Other parts of southwestern New Hampshire also suffered serious damage.

State lawmakers were organizing a fundraising effort – originally planned to help Katrina victims and now aimed at helping New Hampshire’s own.