Ida's Deadly NJ Rampage: 23 Lives Lost, Destroyed Homes, Missing People And Power Loss

NEW JERSEY - The remnants of Hurricane Ida barreled through the northeast Wednesday claiming lives, causing widespread chaos, destroying homes, businesses and sweeping people away in turgid waters.

As of 6:15 p.m. Thursday, the official tally of lives lost stood at 23.

"I am saddened to report that, as of right now, at least 23 New Jerseyans have lost their life to this storm," Governor Phil Murphy said. "The majority of these deaths were individuals who got caught in their vehicles by flooding and were overtaken by the water."

At the storm’s height, roughly 93,000 customers were without power, but Murphy noted that 44,000 customers were still waiting for restoration. A number of state parks and forests in central and northern New Jersey were impacted by yesterday’s storm, and remain closed as damage assessments are ongoing.

And what Ida did, it did mostly with punishing, relentless rain. Most of the Garden State was already saturated from a season of soaking storms, and Ida proved too much to bear in many communities.

The notable exception, was in south Jersey, where tornado activity decimated sections of Mullica Hill. Patch was on the ground in these communities, and what follows is a view of the storm's fury and finality from the hyperlocal level.

In North Jersey, flooding was the story:

• North Jersey Ida Aftermath: Deaths, Destruction, Power Outages
• 1 House Explodes, 1 Still On Fire In 8 Feet Of Water In Manville
• Legendary Yankee Broadcaster John Sterling Rescued From NJ Flood
• Search For Woman Missing In Bridgewater Flood Waters
• TD Bank Ballpark Underwater, Waters To Continue To Rise: Photos
• Three Rescued From Westfield School Rooftop, Child From Car
• 4 Killed In Hillsborough, Bridgewater During Ida Flooding
• Union Man Drowns In Ida Flood Waters After Car Gets Stuck
• Bloomfield Storm Update: 1 Resident Dead As Town Reels From Ida
• Video Shows Newark Airport Flooding In Storm; Flights Suspended
• NJ Transit Rail Service Suspended Almost Everywhere After Ida

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In South Jersey, flooding was only part of the picture.

• 'Miracle In Mercer:' 3 Police Officers Rescued In Ida Flash Flood
• State Of Emergency In Gloucester County After Tornado
• Ida Update: Edison Man Dies After Being Swept Into Storm Pipe
• Princeton Driver Evacuated After A 4-Hour Rescue Operation
• Raritan River Floods Rt. 18, Piscataway Residents Rescued

Beyond New Jersey

Surrounding states were not spared Ida's wrath.

• Ida In PA: 4 Killed In Confirmed Tornado, Flooding
• Here's Where Tornadoes Are Under Investigation In Bucks, Montco
• Serious Flash Flooding Reported In Lambertville
• Shelters Open In Coatesville Schools As Chester County Is Deluged