A historic amount of rain fell on New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other states in a very short period of time Wednesday and Thursday, bringing floods that threatened lives and stranded commuters and cars.
About two dozen deaths have been reported from the storms, as rain and strong winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ida created flash floods and several tornadoes. The water came down in torrents, making flooding even more dangerous.
"This was an exceedingly rare event with 6-10" of rainfall falling over a several hour period," the National Weather Service office in New York said, highlighting the extraordinary speed with which the rainfall hit the area.
One Of The Worst Hurricanes To Hit Louisiana
Meanwhile, a massive relief effort is still underway across the Gulf Coast following the worst of Ida's tear through the region, as the storm knocked out power to more than 1 million homes and businesses.
"This is one of the strongest storms to make landfall in modern times," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a Sunday briefing.
Ida landed on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, blamed for 1,800 deaths in 2005.
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Bill Chappell is a writer, reporter and editor, and a leader on NPR's flagship digital news team. He has frequently contributed to NPR's audio and social media platforms, including hosting dozens of live shows online.