2 Women Killed In NJ Flood Identified, Report Says

Two women who died in Monday night's torrential downpours across the state have now been identified, according to CBS News.

The dangerous flooding swept the women in their vehicle into the Cedar Brook section of Plainfield after they were making a turn along Stelle Avenue and fell into a ditch. Lubia Estevez and Forest Whitlock, both women in their 60s, had their bodies pulled from the submerged vehicle, Governor Phil Murphy said on Tuesday.

"All of Plainfield grieves this latest loss," Plainfield Mayor Adrian O'Mapp added. "To lose four residents in such a short span of time is unimaginable. We mourn with the families, and we remain committed to doing all we can to strengthen our emergency response systems and protect residents from future harms."

North Plainfield Police Chief Alan McKay said countless homes were destroyed in the storm, one of them obliterated in an explosion on Tuesday morning.

"On arrival police officers found the home fully engulfed in flames. The explosion appears to have been the result of a gas leak," McKay said. "Luckily the home appears to have been empty and no victims were located."

RELATED COVERAGE: Homes Destroyed, Dozens Pulled From The Flood Waters As Storm Overwhelms Somerset County

According to the North Plainfield Police Department, at least 40 residents were rescued from the major floods. Officials said around 40 abandoned vehicles were also towed away as workers were continuing to try and clear up roadways.

CBS News contributed reporting.

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2. Union County Animal Shelter Inundated By Floodwaters: 'We Lost Everything'
3. Westfield Recovering After Storm That Sparked Fires, Water Rescues And Closed Roadways