Parts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut experienced severe flash flooding that disrupted a half-marathon event. Runners participating in the race found themselves struggling through waist-deep flood waters during the event. The Racefaster Half Marathon was held Sunday in and around Saddle River County Park in Bergen County, New Jersey. Some runners reported water reaching chest level in parts of the course.
Emergency teams responded to the situation as motorists became stranded in their vehicles. The flooding led to multiple water rescues and caused significant disruption across the affected regions. The weather event impacted roads and public transportation in the area, according to the BBC. Racefaster delayed the start of the half-marathon by two hours because of the heavy rain. Several cars were submerged in flood water, leaving drivers unable to move their vehicles. Local authorities issued warnings about the rising water levels and advised residents to avoid travel.
The half-marathon was not canceled, even though flash flood warnings were in effect in the area. Emergency responders spent Sunday helping stranded motorists and rescuing people from flooded homes and streets. Several of the hardest-hit communities have experienced serious flooding before. Some participants abandoned the race because they considered the flooded course unsafe. About 250 runners completed the race, according to NBC New York.
The situation prompted a large-scale response from local emergency services and rescue teams. Some roads remained closed for several hours after the flooding subsided. Bergen County said agencies advised Racefaster to use an alternate route to avoid high-risk flood areas. The county said some participants disregarded the alternate route and entered flooded areas at their own risk. Residents in several communities were advised to stay off flooded roads until conditions improved.
Rainfall totals reached 6 to 7 inches in parts of coastal Connecticut. The National Weather Service said some locations were receiving rain at rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour, while Connecticut officials reported rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour in the Norwalk-Westport area. The flooding caused delays in public transit and road closures throughout the region.
Emergency crews used boats to reach people who were trapped in their homes or vehicles. Westport emergency responders conducted 13 rescues involving people trapped in vehicles. Bridgeport firefighters used boats to bring residents out of flooded areas. In Paterson, New Jersey, emergency crews rescued about 20 people from rapidly rising water.
Some runners were able to finish the race despite the flooded sections of the course. Weather officials had issued flood watches and flash flood warnings before and during the storm, although the heaviest rainfall was more intense than some forecasts had suggested. The flooding damaged roads, businesses and other properties in some of the hardest-hit communities. Racefaster had notified runners about the two-hour delay before the race, but participants told reporters they did not receive a cancellation notice.
Emergency services continued responding to flooded roads, homes and businesses after the heaviest rain ended. The flooding was severe enough to cause power outages in some neighborhoods. Some runners shared their experiences online, describing the difficulty of navigating through flood waters. The flooding affected local businesses as well as the half-marathon. Emergency teams continued to monitor conditions even after the immediate danger had passed.
Metro-North and Amtrak service on the New Haven Line experienced delays and cancellations because of flooding. Tweed New Haven Airport closed its departures terminal for part of Sunday because of local flash flooding. No deaths or severe injuries were immediately reported from the tri-state flooding. No injuries were reported among runners in the half-marathon.
Bergen County began reviewing the circumstances surrounding the race and placed Racefaster on probation with the county parks permitting office. The county also said Racefaster will not be allowed to organize races in the Bergen County Parks System for at least one year.