New Jersey under State of Emergency due to flooding conditions
HOBOKEN, N.J. -- Parts of New Jersey are under water as Ophelia's remnants flood streets and sidewalks around the area.
Gov. Phil Murphy declared a State of Emergency in the state, effective as of 3 p.m. Friday. He urged people to stay off the roads.
I am declaring a State of Emergency effective at 3:00 p.m. We are experiencing heavy rainfall that is expected to accelerate in many parts of the state over the next several hours.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) September 29, 2023
Residents should stay off the roads, remain alert, and follow all safety protocols. pic.twitter.com/ONDVfafH31
"Throughout the state, especially in the north and central regions, we are experiencing heavy rainfalls resulting in hazardous conditions, and the rainfall is expected to accelerate in many parts of the state over the next several hours," Murphy wrote. " Flooding remains a significant concern due to the heavy rains much of the state already experienced this week. Residents should stay off the roads, remain alert, and follow all safety protocols."
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla declared a state of emergency Friday morning, asking people to stay home if possible.
"The combination of heavy rainfall at high tide -- at about 9:51 a.m. -- we had a lot of rain fall during the morning rush. That resulted in a good portion of Hoboken, specifically the southwest portion, to be inundated with floodwaters," Bhalla told CBS New York. "We're really cautioning residents to not drive, not go outside, unless it's for some essential purpose, and be safe."
Watch: Hoboken mayor declares state of emergency
CBS New York's Christine Sloan reported from the corner of Monroe and Ninth Street, where floodwaters rose halfway up a fire hydrant. Businesses placed sandbags outside to try to prevent the water from coming in.
Avoid southern routes in and out of the City. Only Jersey Ave is currently open due to flooding. Use northern routes. Please limit non-essential travel. https://t.co/SKkzj6N9Q0
— Hoboken OEM (@HobokenOEM) September 29, 2023
Earlier Friday morning, officials said southern routes in and out of the city were closed, except for Jersey Avenue. They ask drivers to avoid unnecessary travel and obey barriers.
An area ShopRite was placing bags behind the store to prevent water from coming in.
An employee of a preschool and day care was trying to keep water from coming in, as parents dropped by to pull their children out.
As of late Friday night, the southwest corner of Hoboken, one of the lowest-lying parts of the city, was still struggling to drain. The rain that caused flash flooding just had nowhere to go. Rescues became necessary in the city and elsewhere in the Garden State.
One lucky driver was hoisted out of harm's way and carried to safety out of water waste deep by Fairfield Police Cpl. Steven D'Argenio. He methodically pushed a pole toward the ground, ensuring neither he nor the person he was rescuing would fall into a manhole uncovered by the force of the flash flooding.
Ken Ferrante, the Hoboken's director of Public Safety City, said calls flooded the Office of Emergency Management and the fire department call volume skyrocketed by 400%.
"A lot of people got stuck in water because we had people that were careless going around barricades, lifted flood warning gates and got stuck in water," Ferrante said.
The fire department successfully completed roughly a half-dozen water rescues. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Ferrante urged caution through the Saturday morning drive, adding high tide arrives around 9:30 a.m. and that could lead to more localized flooding.
The city of Long Branch also declared a state of emergency after flooding closed a number of roadways for hours.
One man tried using a large cup to scoop water out of his car that had been sitting in front of his home the entire day. He tried starting it, but eventually gave up and went back inside.
Soon after, a tow truck lugged the Volkswagen away.
The water was nearly as high as the hood of the car when 2nd Avenue flooded.
"The car is no good. It's terrible," Lourdes Garcia said.
Drivers ignored the closed streets and braved their way through the flood. One pastor, who was headed to a wedding, decided against it.
"We're going there to perform the wedding. We were hoping the rain was going to stop, but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen, and there's a flood! What are we gonna do?" Dorothea Jones said.
Some basements in Long Branch did see some flooding. Although the water has since receded, many families are dealing with the cleanup.
Stick with CBS New York for live team coverage of the storm and its aftermath.