The East Coast is in the grip of flash floods that have forced the authorities to resort to the evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas. The situation is a result of heavy rainfall over the weekend along the coastal regions stretching from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania. The condition is expected to continue and seven states have been put on alert.

The Newsweek reports that the National Weather Service (NWS) Mount Holly has issued a flash flood warning. The areas covered are along the New Jersey coast. A police officer in New Jersey has said that such flooding was last seen in 1999 during Hurricane Floyd.

Life in disarray from the flash flood

When a natural calamity like a flash flood strikes any region, normal life is disrupted. Roads are submerged, there are traffic jams and movement is affected. The floodwater, at times, causes a pileup of cars that add to the misery. Vehicles get stranded on the roads and the occupants have to be rescued to safety.

Montgomery County reported at least one dozen such cases. In some places, the police have advised drivers to stay off the roads.

Certain places of Philadelphia, Allentown, and Bethlehem have been warned of flash floods and people in Pennsylvania have been advised to exercise “extreme caution.” They have also been told, “do not drive through flooded roads.” Incidentally, the warnings have also been issued for other areas along the coast including New York.

Heavy rains and flash flood are interlinked

New Zealand Herald adds that heavy rains triggered flash floods and affected lives in some parts of the East Coast. Many roads were blocked off and stranded vehicles had to be removed as flood waters entered homes in the mountainous regions. Mandatory evacuation siren had to be sounded to warn residents of rising water levels from nearby rivers.

In such situations, people have to move to temporary shelters.

The United States has been facing the ravages of nature in the recent past. There were three major hurricanes in 2017 that have played havoc with the infrastructure. Coupled with those natural disasters there were droughts and wildfires in California that have destroyed thousands of acres of the green cover. When these happen, the authorities rush in and take steps to mitigate the sufferings of the people, but those are short-term measures. There is a need to tackle climate change seriously. This is believed to be a factor responsible for disturbances of this nature and those in power must evolve suitable strategies to combat the evils of global warming.
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