Heavy rain spawned extreme flooding in New York’s Hudson Valley that killed at least one person, swamped roadways and forced road closures on Sunday night, as much of the rest of the Northeast U.S. braced Monday for potentially punishing rains. As the storm moved east, the National Weather Service extended flash flood warnings into Connecticut, including the cities of Stamford and Greenwich, before creeping into Massachusetts. Forecasters said some areas could get as much as 5 inches (12 centimeters) of rain. In New York’s Hudson Valley, rescue teams found the body of a woman in her 30s who drowned after being swept away while trying to evacuate her home, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus told WABC-TV. Officials were waiting for the medical examiner’s office to arrive, he said.

The Monsey region was deluged with nearly a foot of rain on Sunday, as the area was battered with the amount of precipitation that normally takes a month or more to fall. The storm brought mayhem to the region, destroying dozens of vehicles, overloading dams, and burying roads under a sea of floodwaters. The town of Stony Point was no exception to the chaos, with heavy rains and flash floods gushing through its streets, and a growing river slowly but surely making its way to Beit Hakneset Ohalei Yosef Yitzchak. As a wall of raging water rose around the building, concerns grew that the shul would be terribly damaged, and perhaps worse, that those trapped inside would be consumed by the ferocious waters. Then, suddenly – inexplicably, miraculously – the water stopped rising.

There was widespread flooding across New York State, with Rockland and Orange Counties getting severely hit. As YWN reported on Sunday morning, a massive amount of rain was expected to fall across the area, with flash flooding warnings issued by the National Weather Service. As predicted by weather forecasters, the rain arrived, and fell in incredible force. As YWN reported earlier, the Palisades Interstate Parkway was totally flooded near Stony Point, forcing the closure of the roadway. Route 6 between Orange County, heading towards Rockland County was washed away. Insane video footage has emerged of the flooding in West Point, Stoney Point and other areas, showing dozens of vehicle totally submerged underwater.

Parts of the Palisades Interstate Parkway are currently shut due to extreme flooding. Rabbi Berish Freilach, Senior Clergy to the NY State Police confirmed to YWN that the highway is closed in both directions at Exit 15 at around 4:00PM. Tens of thousands of people in the Catskills would normally be using the highway to head towards NYC today, and drivers are being urged to use alternate routes. There are reports of a NY State Trooper vehicle submerged underwater, and additional reports of mud and rock slides in the area of Stony Point. As YWN warned earlier, the entire area remains under a severe flood watch. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

YWN regrets to inform you of the sudden Petira of R’ Avrohom Moshe Melohn Z”L, one of the leading Baalei Tzedakah in America. He was 65. The Niftar, who lives in Manhattan, was visiting a friend in Monsey on Thursday morning, when he suddenly collapsed. Rockland Hatzolah responded and did everything they could to save his life. Unfortunately he was Niftar in the home he was visiting. The Levaya will be held on Thursday afternoon in Monsey at Ohr Someyach, 244 Route 306. The Kevura will be in Eretz Yisroel. Boruch Dayan HaEmmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

On Monday morning, YWN published an absolutely shocking video of three young children on one electric scooter – all without helmets – driving in the middle of a Monsey Road. They laughed at the Hatzoloh member who confronted them. In response to the video, Rabbi Yosef C. Golding, the Executive Director of Rockland Hatzoloh sent YWN the following: As the days grow longer and warmer, Hatzoloh of Rockland definitely sees an unusually high number of pedestrian injuries, as well as children on bikes and scooters being hit by cars. It’s high time for parents to teach safety…and to enforce it to the best of their ability! Parents need to train the children that there is a right and wrong way of crossing the street and riding a bike or scooter.

Travelers headed for the Catskills will have to reprogram their navigational apps this summer for a new Mincha location, with the New York State Thruway’s Sloatsburg rest stop one of 27 service areas slated for extensive renovations in the coming months. Askanim were notified of the Thruway construction before Pesach and worked closely with officials for weeks to find a temporary home for the Tefilas Mordche Mincha Area, which has been based out of the Sloatsburg rest-stop for years. Under an agreement reached with the Town of Ramapo, the Mincha Area will open for the season on June 22nd at 120 Torne Valley Road in Hillburn, NY., just minutes from the Thruway’s Exit 15 A.

A young child was honored by Rockland Hatzolah after his quick and decisive thinking saved his friend from potentially being gravely injured as an accident unfolded. Nuta Markowitz, the son of Rockland Hatzolah member Avrumy Markowitz (RH-212), was with a friend when the latter was struck by a vehicle. Nuta exhibited exceptionally swift thinking and sound judgement, immediately dragging his injured friend off the street – preventing a second vehicle from hitting him as well. The victim is now recovering from his relatively minor injuries, and Nuta is being hailed a hero. In recognition of his courageous act, Rockland Hatzolah presented him with an award and an honorary Hatzolah ID card. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An 8-year old suffered a serious head injury after he was stuck by a vehicle in Spring valley on Monday evening. The incident occurred at around 6:45pm on Union Road near Park Street. Hatzolah Paramedics rushed the child to Westchester Trauma Center. The vehicle fled the scene and was stopped by police nearby. The driver was being questioned by authorities. Please say Tehillim for Elimelech ben Rivka. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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Republican Congressman Mike Lawler from New York is introducing legislation aimed at preventing universities that allow “antisemitic events on campus” from participating in student loan and grant programs. The proposed legislation, known as the “Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act,” is a response to a recent anti-Semitic commencement speech delivered at CUNY Law School. During the speech, student Fatima Mousa Mohammed made accusations of “indiscriminate” murder by the U.S. military and Israel. She also called for students to join a “revolution” against Zionism, capitalism, and racism. Mohammed claimed that Israel continues to use violence against Palestinians, including the elderly and young, even targeting funerals and graveyards.