Here Are The 3 Middlesex County Residents Who Died In Ida Floods

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ — According to the most up-to-date numbers from Gov. Murphy this week, a total of 30 New Jersey residents died in the Ida-related floods.

New Jersey suffered the most deaths in Ida out of any state in the U.S. Related: Ida Caused More Immediate Deaths Than Sandy: Rutgers Prof

The death count in Middlesex County was initially four, but it has now been corrected to three people. Here are the three Middlesex County victims who died, and their stories:

Matthew Weber, 40, of Piscataway

Weber had recently moved to Piscataway as he had just taken a new job as a mental health specialist at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, located very close to where he lived — within walking distance, in fact.

According to MyCentralJersey, he had moved into the Birchview Gardens apartment complex on River Road, a very quiet, wooded area home to mostly young families and Rutgers post-grad students.

Weber was last seen walking on River Road at 11 o'clock Wednesday night at the height of the storm. Police told MyCentralJersey.com they suspect he was walking home from the Rutgers logistics center where he worked when he was overcome by torrential flooding swirling down River Road.

Tragically, Weber's body was found two days later, Sept. 3, in the area of Baekeland Avenue in Middlesex borough.

A Jersey native, Weber graduated from the elite boys' prep school Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft in 1999 and earned his bachelor's degree from Rutgers. He was raised in Freehold and spent many years living on the Jersey Shore, where he loved to surf.

"Matthew loved adventure and he loved the outdoors," read his obituary. "If Matthew wasn’t working he could be found surfing down at the Shore, snowboarding up north or skateboarding anywhere he could find a rail. He found peace and tranquility in the beauty of the ocean as well as the mountains."

"It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the tragic death of Matthew Weber, who was a mental health specialist in acute psychiatric services and served with distinction since joining Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care in January 2019," said Rutgers, his employer.

"Matt had many clinical talents, including a unique ability to make others feel comfortable, including patients, families and his fellow workers. He was universally seen as a kind man. He constantly and willingly offered a genuine and personal interaction with clients, families and colleagues, and he treated everyone with dignity and respect. We are extremely grateful for all the lives that Matt touched and for his dedication to the individuals and families who come to UBHC for their care."

Weber leaves behind his mother and father and his brother. He was buried at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Cemetery in Freehold Township.

Dhanush Reddy, 31, of Edison

Reddy and another man were swept into a 36-inch storm sewer pipe Wednesday night as they tried to make it home from work, said South Plainfield Mayor Matt Anesh.

As the storm beat down that night, South Plainfield police were helping stranded drivers in the area of Hadley and Stelton Road when they heard a woman shouting for help; she said her friend had been sucked into a sewer pipe.

Police were able to pull one of the men out, but they could not find Reddy.

Authorities said two men were swept into the major drainage pipe, which travels under Stelton Road from South Plainfield to Piscataway. On Thursday, authorities discovered the body of Reddy in a wooded area behind 1380 Centennial Avenue in Piscataway.

Sunanda Upadhye, 56, of Woodbridge

Sunanda Upadhye, 56, lived on Gill Lane in Iselin and it has now been revealed she was electrocuted as she stepped into flood waters that contained live electric current in the early morning hours of Sept. 2.

She worked at the Woodbridge Walmart and a coworker dropped her off after midnight Wednesday. She had less than a one-minute walk home down Gill Lane, said her husband. She died instantly after stepping into floodwaters that contained live electric current.

Her body was found the next day. This GoFundMe page was launched by her husband to help pay for funeral expenses.

The latest Ida death count as of Monday:

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