Following a period of heavy rain that caused severe and deadly flooding in parts of Connecticut and New York, officials are still working to evaluate the damage caused by this unprecedented water surge which resulted in at least two fatalities, numerous collapsed structures, and significant destruction in entire communities.

From Saturday evening to Monday morning, some areas in southwest Connecticut experienced rainfall exceeding a foot, while parts of Long Island recorded just over 10 inches, as reported by the National Weather Service based in Uptown, New York. A few places saw several inches of rain fall within hours, leading to flash floods that transformed roads into swift rivers, trapping residents in their homes and vehicles.

“In some locations, we are experiencing rainfall levels that are historically significant, on the order of events that happen once every thousand years,” stated Brenda Bergeron, deputy commissioner of the state Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, at a news briefing on Monday. She described the flood as “historic and without precedent.”

Many residents were evacuated from their homes across multiple towns, with the town of Oxford, Connecticut, experiencing the most severe impacts where two women were swept away by the rushing waters during a rescue operation. Their remains were found on Monday.

Oxford’s first selectman, George Temple, reported at a press conference that roads had been “caved in and torn apart,” leaving businesses “significantly damaged” and vehicles “completely destroyed.”

“Oxford got a serious hit; it was caught off guard and devastated,” remarked Connecticut state Sen. Eric Berthel during a news briefing. “Our infrastructure is in ruins; our main highway through town is damaged, we have lost lives and businesses.”

Throughout the town, dozens were evacuated, including a group of 30 who were rescued from Jackson Cove, a popular local park where a birthday party for a 2-year-old was underway. Emergency personnel used boats to evacuate the party attendees, which included a 5-month-old infant, late Sunday night.

Connecticut State Sen. Richard Blumenthal described the damages in towns like Seymour, Newtown, and Danbury as “heart-wrenching and distressing.” These towns, along with Oxford, are situated near the Little River, which rose several feet above flood stage and surged downstream.

“No one could have predicted the Little River would turn into such a destructive force,” he stated.

On Monday, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont declared a state of emergency to facilitate recovery efforts in affected communities. Various local and state officials, alongside lawmakers, urged the federal government for financial assistance.

As of early Tuesday morning, road closures continued to be widespread in southwest Connecticut, according to the state’s Department of Transportation. Southbury officials announced on Facebook that nine roads would remain partially closed due to damages, and all town parks would be closed indefinitely.

Rains cause catastrophic flooding in Long Island

In Suffolk County, New York, where around 10 inches fell during the weekend, severe flooding destroyed roads, caused a dam and bridge to fail, led to water rescues, and flooded parts of Stony Brook University.

The flooding completely drained Brookhaven’s Mill Pond and caused a major road adjacent to it to collapse, leaving much of the area devastated. Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico noted that the last significant washout of the Mill Pond occurred “more than a century ago.” The pond’s millions of gallons of water, along with turtles, fish, and belongings from several homes, flowed downstream, exacerbating flooding in other locations.

“We are looking at a road and restoration project that will cost upwards of $10 million,” said Panico.

The north shore of Brookhaven experienced “extensive damage,” as homes fell into sinkholes, and even a bed-and-breakfast was condemned, according to Panico.

In nearby Blydenburgh County, a 100-acre lake in Smithtown’s Blydenburgh County Park completely drained following the collapse of a concrete bridge and dam, according to Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. This disaster adversely affected homes, businesses, and schools downstream and disrupted Long Island Railroad services.

Meanwhile, various areas of Stony Brook University’s campus were inundated, leading the public school to cancel student move-in plans for Monday and Tuesday while assessing the damage, as indicated in a statement from the university on X.

“This is a significant disaster that was entirely unexpected,” remarked Romaine, who has enacted a disaster declaration and called for assistance from state and federal governments. He estimated the total costs of damage in the county to exceed $50 million.