Slow-moving storm Henri drenches north-eastern United States

23 August 2021, 13:04

Waves pound a seawall in Montauk, New York as Tropical Storm Henri affects the Atlantic coast
Tropical Weather Atlantic. Picture: PA

Henri sent lashing bands of rain westward, knocking out power to over 140,000 homes.

The slow-rolling storm system named Henri is taking its time drenching the US north east with rain, with a slated turn to the east from upstate New York back through New England.

The National Weather Service in Boston said torrential downpours and renewed flooding were possible, and there was a chance for brief tornados. The storm, now a tropical depression, was expected to dump another 1in to 3in of rain as its centre moves through Massachusetts.

Flood warnings were in effect for parts of northern New Jersey and south-eastern New York state, and flood watches stretched throughout south-eastern Pennsylvania, parts of Vermont and New Hampshire and New York City.

More than 140,000 homes lost power, and deluges of rain closed bridges, swamped roads and left some people stranded in their vehicles.

Beach towns from the Hamptons on Long Island to Cape Cod in Massachusetts were spared the worst of the potential damage on Sunday, while other areas of New England awaited the storm’s return.

The National Hurricane Centre said Henri is expected to slow down further and stall near the Connecticut-New York border, before moving back east through New England and eventually pushing out to the Atlantic Ocean.

By Monday morning, the system was moving east at just 1mph.

Henri produced 3in to 6in of rain over many areas on Sunday, with isolated higher totals. An additional 1in to 3in was forecast through Monday for parts of Long Island, New England, south-east New York, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

New England officials were concerned that just a few more inches could cause disaster after a summer of record rainfall.

“The ground is so saturated that it can flood with just another inch of rain,” Connecticut governor Ned Lamont warned late on Sunday.

President Joe Biden has declared disasters in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, opening the purse strings for federal recovery aid to those states.

“We’re doing everything we can now to help those states prepare, respond and recover,” said the president, who also offered condolences to Tennessee residents after severe flooding from an unrelated storm killed at least 22 people and left dozens missing.

When Henri made landfall near Westerly, Rhode Island, it had sustained winds of about 60mph and gusts of up to 70mph.

Some communities in central New Jersey were inundated with as much as 8in of rain by midday on Sunday.

In Jamesburg, video footage showed flooded streets and cars almost completely submerged. In Newark, public safety director Brian O’Hara said police and firefighters rescued 86 people in 11 incidents related to the storm.

In Connecticut, about 250 residents from four nursing homes on the shoreline had to be moved to other facilities. Several major bridges in Rhode Island were briefly closed on Sunday, and some coastal roads were nearly impassable.

By Press Association

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron mark the minute's silence

France observes national day of mourning for victims of Cyclone Chido in Mayotte

Flowers, candles, wreaths and stuffed animals lie in front of St John’s Church

Magdeburg mourns Christmas market attack victims amid fears of social divisions

Romania New Government

Romanian President nominates incumbent premier to lead new government

Palestinians look at home destroyed by an Israeli strike late Saturday in Deir al-Balah

Israeli air strikes on Gaza ‘kill at least 20 people’

US President Joe Biden

Biden commutes 37 out of 40 US federal death sentences

Giant Panda Ke Ke reacts to an ice snow man at the Ocean Park in Hong Kong

Pandas An An and Ke Ke enjoy treats ahead of first Christmas in Hong Kong

Jim Pillen gives a speech

Nebraska governor injured after being thrown by horse

A close-up of the TikTok logo

Albanian PM says TikTok ban not ‘rushed reaction to single incident’

Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, and Honda President Toshihiro Mibe attend a joint news conference in Tokyo

Japanese car giants Honda and Nissan announce merger plans

APTOPIX Brazil Santa Claus Amazon

Santa braves sticky heat of Amazon jungle to bring gifts to children

UnitedHealthcare CEO Killed

Man accused of UnitedHealthcare chief executive’s death to face New York court

Subway Burning

New York City police make arrest after grim death of woman lit on fire on subway

Police carry out an investigation by houses that were hit by a plane in Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

10 killed as small plane crashes in Brazilian town popular with tourists

The sun shines on to Vasquez Cirque, new terrain for Winter Park Resort, Winter Park, Colorado

174 skiers and snowboarders rescued after ski lift in Colorado cracks

President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona

Trump threatens to try to take back Panama Canal

Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, in a scene from Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Sonic 3 speeds past Mufasa: The Lion King at box office