Connecticut flooding leaves 2 dead; video shows water rescue

Connecticut catastrophic flooding leaves 2 dead

Two people are dead in Connecticut after catastrophic flooding destroyed roads and bridges and trapped terrified residents as rapidly rising water cut off escape routes. Gov. Ned Lamont has also issued a state of emergency. FOX 5 NY’s Antwan Lewis has the latest.

CONNECTICUT - Two people are dead in Connecticut after catastrophic flooding destroyed roads and bridges and trapped terrified residents as rapidly rising water cut off escape routes.

"Yesterday was a pretty devastating day here in Connecticut," Connecticut State Emergency Management Director William Turner said. "There was initially two reported individuals missing in Oxford that were swept away after their vehicle became stranded."

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont later confirmed the body of the second person was recovered on Monday. Both women were Oxford residents and pulled from the Little River, according to officials.

Turner said calls for help were received across southwestern Connecticut as the flooding continued throughout the day and into the evening on Sunday.

"We had quite an extensive rescue operation occurring to rescue those impacted by this extreme flash flooding that was experienced yesterday," he said.

While flooding was reported in communities along the Interstate 95 corridor, like Stamford, many rural communities took the brunt of the devastation.

"The heaviest rains really seems to set up from Monroe up into Beacon Falls, and definitely some more rural parts of the state, but away from our major highways like I-95 and I-84" Turner said. "But nonetheless, we still have extensive damage to a lot of state roads and local roads that we’re out there assessing now to determine the impacts and to see what we’ll need to do to get them reopened."

The dangerous situation began to unfold earlier in the day Sunday as heavy precipitation continued to fall over the same areas of western and southern Connecticut for hours.

The National Weather Service issued a rare Flash Flood Emergency for the area as the deluge continued, and many towns in the region reported blockbuster rainfall totals.

Top rain totals. (FOX Weather)

More than a foot of rain fell in Sandy Hook, which is part of Newtown, since Sunday morning.

Newtown received just over 10 inches of rain on Sunday, but that doesn't count the rain that fell Sunday afternoon and evening, so the total may rise.

Shelton and Monroe received just under 10 inches of rain, while Middlebury received just over 9.5 inches.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont declares "emergency declaration"

On Monday, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont declared an "emergency declaration".

"I have signed a state of emergency declaration in response to the historic flooding that caused extensive damage in Connecticut," Lamont said in a post on X. "This declaration can help expedite some of the resources needed for us to respond, including potential federal support.

Local states of emergency in Connecticut

Significant damage from the widespread flash flooding led to the declaration of local states of emergency in the towns of Southbury and Naugatuck.

Officials in Southbury said numerous roads in town were compromised by the flooding, and drivers were being urged to stay home until conditions improved.

Dramatic videos from Southbury showed several vehicles stranded in the rapidly rising water near a shopping plaza while a firefighter tried desperately to unclog a storm drain.

Another dramatic video from Southbury showed a stranded motorist and a dog being rescued after their vehicle became stranded in the rising water.

Tania Carver captured the moment on video, which shows a man wading over to the car and helping to pull the driver and dog out. In the video, the driver was seen holding a prosthetic leg and then gesturing to his dog in the back seat.

Naugatuck Mayor Pete Hess announced that he, too, declared a local state of emergency due to the flooding.

"Just because the rain stopped for a little while, this doesn’t mean that you can go drive around," Hess said in a Facebook post. "Many roads are closed. Other roads are impassible. Do not go out and drive."

A video shared from Naugatuck also showed vehicles attempting to drive through the flooding near a shopping plaza, while another video showed rushing water flowing down a hillside at a gas station on South Main Street.

Travel has also been significantly impacted because of the flooding in Connecticut.

Several Metro-North lines in CT suspended

The President of Metro-North Railroad Catherine Rinaldi said several lines in Connecticut are suspended due to flooding.

Numerous roads remain closed because of the situation, and Metro-North Railroad announced that service has been suspended on the Waterbury Branch in both directions because of a mudslide near Seymour.

Customers are being told to use the New Haven Line until service can be restored.

‘Sheer devastation’ in Oxford

The town of Oxford was also hard hit by the flooding, with several bridges and roads either destroyed by the rushing water or covered with rocks and other debris.

"You know, dare I say, nobody was prepared for this," FOX 61 Connecticut Reporter Brooke Griffin said on Monday. "You know, we knew it was going to rain. In fact, most of the state probably only thinks it did. But that is just not the case for this Naugatuck Valley area in Oxford in Southbury."

Griffin described the scene as "sheer devastation" as she stood in front of a washed-out bridge.

"This is a main thruway for this part of Connecticut," she said. "A lot of people typically drive this area. It’s pretty rural, but it connects a lot of the towns and cities out here."

The water has since started to recede, but Griffin said that she has been noticing more and more pavement falling away.

Mudslide, gas leak lead to evacuation in Danbury

A state of emergency was also declared in the city of Danbury in western Connecticut because of the flooding.

Emergency crews responded to the Woodland Hills Complex on Shelter Rock Road, where a mudslide led to a gas leak and evacuations, according to the National Weather Service and city emergency management officials.

Several roads in the city remain closed as water continues to recede and cleanup operations continue.

Firefighters rescue 19 people and dog from floodwaters

Firefighters safely rescued 19 people and a dog from raging floodwaters Sunday evening in southwestern Connecticut during a Flash Flood Emergency.

The state experienced widespread and catastrophic flooding across Fairfield and New Haven counties, which has caused numerous water rescues, several mudslides and a major gas leak. Thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall dropped nearly 10 inches of rain in the hardest-hit areas of the state with rainfall rates between 1 and 2 inches per hour.

Ambulances from Beacon Hose Fire Company were responding to calls around 5 p.m. in Seymour and Oxford when concerns arose that the nearby Brookside Inn Restaurant, with multiple people inside, could be compromised due to rising floodwaters.

"Fire crews from Oxford were extraordinarily busy with emergencies throughout town, so Beacon Hose requested permission from Oxford fire officials to stage a rescue operation," the Beacon Hose Fire Company said.

Beacon Hose rescued 19 people and a dog from flood waters at the Brookside Inn Restaurant in Oxford and a nearby residence on Sunday evening. (Beacon Hose Co. No. 1)