8/22/2021 – 5:22 p.m.
New Jersey – Parts of Central Jersey, including Middlesex County and Mercer County, were most affected by the rainfall Sunday morning with some towns receiving nearly 9 inches of rainfall as Henri made its way up the coast and towards the New England region.
Tropical Storm Henri dumped rain onto parts of New Jersey overnight and into Sunday, causing widespread flooding that has spurred officials to order evacuations in certain areas and a number of motorists needing to be rescued.
Helmetta Mayor Chris Slavicek said floodwaters had risen up to the doors of cars and was entering homes in the vicinity of Railroad Avenue and John Street in the Middlesex County borough.
Flooding also ravaged at least one business in the borough. Four Boys Ice Cream on Sunday afternoon posted a video on Facebook showing muddy floors, an overturned refrigerator and other damage to its store, which will be closed until further notice.
Ungermah had just moved into his house on East Church Street, a small two-story house with beige siding, two months ago.
“We put some hard work into it, making it a home,” he said, but added that everyone was safe and that he does have flood insurance.
Ungermah said the water on Church Street, which abuts Manalapan Brook, was deeper than the water in his house. Floodwaters are high elsewhere in the town, too.
“Please stay off the roads if possible,” the Jamesburg Facebook page says. “Most roads are unpassable.”
By Sunday afternoon, waters had begun to rise in Spotswood, which is downstream of Jamesburg and Helmetta. DeVoe Lake had spilled its banks as water gushed over the small dam.
Spotswood’s American Legion sits at the edge of the lake. Inside, a handful of members tried to relax with a few beers as they watched the New York Giants play in a preseason game.
They could keep an eye on the rising water thanks to a window next to the TV. Jack Carney, the legions manager, worried about the building’s basement flooding, but said the situation is not as bad as when Tropical Storm Irene came through 10 years ago.
Elsewhere on Sunday, four Plainsboro fire company units spent the morning helping rescue motorists who were trapped on flooded roads in the Middlesex County township where nearly 7 inches of rain had fallen by 7 a.m. Sunday.
In Newark, firefighters evacuated 23 people following a foundation collapse early Sunday at a Taylor Street residence due to Henri. There were no injuries reported but residents along with neighbors from an adjacent residence were told to leave as a precaution in advance of the upcoming storm expected to begin Sunday, city officials said.
Another 11 people had to be rescued by city firefighters from an airport shuttle bus Sunday morning that was trapped in floodwaters at Toler Place and Frelinghuysen Avenue.
In total, Newark officials said Sunday afternoon they had rescued 86 people in 11 separate incidents related to the storm. Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara asked that people continue to stay off flooded streets.
“During today’s thunderstorms, it is essential that drivers seriously heed our advisories by not driving through flooded streets,” O’Hara said.
“While Newark police and firefighters will respond to every single call, the greater the number of required water rescues will only reduce our response times. We respectfully request that drivers do not risk becoming trapped in their vehicles because they chose to travel through flooded areas.”
Gov. Phil Murphy said Sunday afternoon that flooding remains the biggest concern as Henri continues north and encouraged people to remain at home.
It was “largely a rain event, a big rain event,” Murphy said about the storm, even though it was “less than we feared.”
Still, “it’s a good day to stay home,” the governor said.
The rain had begun falling Saturday night and continued into Sunday.
Giselle Diaz and her family were driving on Wilson Avenue in Newark around 11 p.m. on Saturday when they were caught off guard by rising floodwaters.
