A powerful nor'easter swept across the U.S. Northeast on Saturday, killing one person, knocking out power for approximately 100,000 customers, and flooding coastal communities from New Jersey to New England.
In New York City, a New York City Housing Authority employee died in Brooklyn after a fallen tree struck them. Four others sustained minor injuries in Kelly Park when another tree fell, according to the city fire department.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned residents to stay out of the water. "Anyone who goes in or near the water this weekend is literally gambling with their life," she said.
The storm's heaviest impact hit the New Jersey Shore. In Surf City, floodwaters swamped streets and homes. Kenny Formica, owner of Surf City Marina, watched via surveillance cameras Saturday as water rose inside his building—the second time in his business's history, after Hurricane Sandy caused more than $4 million in damage.
Formica's crew had secured dock lines, moved equipment, and parked trucks and forklifts on high ground, but water nearly surrounded them by Saturday morning. Customers reported missing boats and Jet Skis. One sent video around 4 a.m. showing a $150,000, 8,000-pound 25-foot boat blown off its lift.
In Edgewater, along the Hudson River, floodwaters spilled into a large parking lot. Video showed one car nearly submerged, only its sunroof visible, as people moved vehicles to higher ground.
Sea Bright Mayor Brian Kelly said the borough prepared for winds up to 50 mph and flooding reaching 6 feet on some streets. The Shrewsbury River closed Route 36 in both directions, the state Department of Transportation reported.
The National Weather Service issued high wind warnings for coastal New Jersey through the weekend. The highest tides were expected north of Atlantic City from Saturday night into Sunday, creating widespread potential for road flooding in coastal and bayside communities.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said its response coordination centers in affected regions are operating at an enhanced posture, with teams on standby in New England for potential widespread outages. Emergency crews worked through Saturday to restore power across multiple states.
