Heavy Flooding Strands Drivers As Cinnaminson Area Preps For Tropical Storm Debby

CINNAMINSON, NJ — Flash floods trapped drivers on local roadways as a half-foot of rain fell on the Cinnaminson area. With Tropical Storm Debby on the way, the flooding concerns will linger for several days.

First responders in Burlington County have conducted 77 rescues involving vehicles stranded on inundated roads since the rain began Tuesday night, a county spokesperson said at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Sixty of those rescues were in Cinnaminson, while 16 happened in Delran.

Delran had 7.03 inches of precipitation as of 10:15 p.m. Tuesday — one of New Jersey's highest-overall rainfall totals from the storm — according to data from the National Weather Service. Additional rounds of rain fell thereafter.

The local rainfall was "unprecedented," Delran Mayor Gary Catrambone said Tuesday night.

"Please stay home," he announced. "Please do not attempt to drive through flooded areas, even if they appear passable."

Within the county, communities along the Delaware River and Route 130 corridor felt the greatest impact. Floods were also reported in Burlington City, Burlington Township, Delanco, Edgewater Park, Mount Laurel, Palmyra, Riverside, Riverton and Willingboro, officials said.

Route 130 was shut down for much of Wednesday morning around Taylor's Lane in Cinnaminson after a truck hit a utility pole , bringing down wires. The roadway reopened, with emergency construction underway as of Wednesday afternoon.

No storm-related injuries or significant power outages were reported in Burlington County, officials said.

Fifteen homes in the Edgewater Park's Silver Park West community were evacuated because of flooding. They were taken to the development's community center.

"Most were picked up by family members, and three residents indicated they would stay in a hotel," said David Levinsky, a Burlington County spokesperson.

Tropical Storm Debby — currently swirling over coastal Georgia and the Carolinas — will likely move inland Wednesday night into Thursday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The storm could impact the New Jersey area Friday, continuing into the night, the agency said.

• Related: NJ Battered By Storms As Debby Creeps Closer

Potential for heavy rain and flash flooding will continue daily into the weekend, with the Mid-Atlantic's facing its greatest risk for severe impacts on Friday, the NWS said. Forecasters remain uncertain about Debby's severity in the region, but the NWS expects rivers to flood this weekend and early next week if there's enough rain.

Here's the NWS's latest forecast for the Cinnaminson area:

• Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Wednesday night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Thursday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. East wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Thursday night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 74. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 82. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
• Friday night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 73. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
• Saturday: Showers likely, mainly before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
• Saturday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64.