Communities work to rebuild, recover following devastating floods
Homes and businesses continue to clean up following Monday's storm.
More Stories
New Jersey continues to clean up from storms that brought destructive flooding to multiple communities and left two women dead.
In Plainfield, about 7 inches of rain fell in just a few hours, turning streets into rivers, flooding homes and businesses and causing power outages. Officials say two women died when their car was swept away by the rising water, showing just how quickly conditions can turn deadly.
The city also held a bulk pickup Thursday for people forced to discard furniture and other belongings that were damaged when water rushed into their homes. Cleanup kits were also distributed to help homeowners remove dirt and debris left behind by the flooding.
On Sunday, Plainfield will host a concert to help raise funds for the flood recovery effort.
One location that suffered extensive damage was the Plainfield Area Humane Society. Although none of the pets that lived in the shelter were harmed during the flood, volunteers say they "lost everything" and that it will take a while to rebuilt and restock the shelter. They're asking for both physical and monetary assistance.
"Good evening community. Thanks to your help we have a facility nearby to house (hopefully most) donations you all sent. Now we need volunteers this evening to move hundreds of boxes out of the shelter to vans and then to the Vermuielle House," PAHS said in a Facebook post. Their cleanup effort continues today.
In nearby North Plainfield, a house explosion and collapse left a family displaced but unharmed during the flooding. A short distance away, homeowners on Sweetbriar Lane will now have to work with engineers and contractors after the foundations of their homes sustain serious damage, leaving those houses temporarily uninhabitable.
People throughout the area also spent days navigating around flooded local streets and highways, including part of the Route 22 corridor. The water has since receded, but repairs are continuing to fix damaged areas.
