Connecticut State Police identified two women found dead after flash flooding soaked Connecticut Sunday as Audrey Rostkowski, 71, and Ethelyn Joiner, 65.
“Both Oxford residents were found deceased after being swept away from their vehicles,” police announced Monday afternoon.
Authorities said they were notified on shortly after 5 p.m. that two people had gone missing near Route 67. Heavy rain drenched large parts of the tri-state area Sunday and early Monday.
AP
Damage from flood waters is seen on Cottage Street in Monroe, Connecticut on Monday. (AP)
“The heavy rainfall led to flooding, which caused some motor vehicles and their occupants to be swept away by the raging waters,” Connecticut State police said in a statement.
The National Weather Service said 10 inches of rain fell in Newtown, roughly 10 miles west of Oxford, during a period lasting no more than nine hours.
Though not directly caused by Hurricane Ernesto, Accuweather meteorologists say the storm contributed “to the slow movement of the torrential downpours” on the East Coast as it roared through the Caribbean at the start of the week. They also warned of more heavy rainfall as the storm headed northeast Monday night before heading further into the Atlantic Ocean and toward Europe.
Dry skies are forecast for most of the week for the New York City area. Mayor Adams closed beaches in Brooklyn and Queens over the weekend because of dangerous rip currents generated by Ernesto. The storm’s aftermath may be felt as far as the British Isles by the middle of the week.