11 Rescued From Flood Waters In Morris County

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Eleven people were rescued by fire personnel on Tuesday night in Dover, according to a statement from Fire Chief Paul McDougall.

Firefighters had to remove six people from one home and four people from another in the area of E. Blackwell Street and Rutan Drive due to rising floodwaters, McDougall said.

Dover Fire units were aided by Picatinny Fire with their high-water truck and boat to accomplish the rescue.

One more individual was rescued from a car that became disabled in flooded waters near Richards Avenue and N. Salem Street. According to a report by NJ Advance Media, the resident drove onto an unblocked side street and soon discovered her vehicle submerged in water that had risen to around 3 1/2 to 4 feet.

The police did not say if any additional rescue calls had been made this morning.

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm going into effect across the state, which began at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

AccuWeather meteorologists even warned of "dangerous to life-threatening conditions" stemming from rapid flooding, downed trees, high winds and darkness Tuesday night.

According to forecasters, three rivers in North Jersey are expected to hit the "major flood level" stage, including one in Morris County. The Passaic River at Pine Brook is anticipated to hit the major flood stage and rise to 21.4 feet by Thursday.

The Pompton River is currently at 19.99 feet, indicating major flood conditions, but the major flood stage is projected to be reached over the next few hours.

"It is extremely important that the public pay attention to the conditions, specifically as they relate to floodwaters for the next several days. We are anticipating that floodwaters will exist in certain municipalities," the Morris County Office of Emergency Management said.