Cleanup efforts and damage assessments were underway in the Delaware state capital and New York’s Long Island on Friday after a storm battered the Northeast, bringing heavy rain and leaving dozens of people trapped in their cars amid flash flooding.
Officials said there were no reports of any serious injuries.
The National Weather Service said a trained spotter reported a tornado in Dover, Delaware, during Thursday’s storm. Photos and videos on social media showed the roof of a motel was blown off and other buildings were damaged along Route 13 northeast of downtown.
In Long Island’s Atlantic Beach, images posted on social media showed a large funnel cloud above the water and a small beach club building torn apart. The weather service confirmed a tornado touched down on the coast, saying it started as a waterspout over the Atlantic Ocean.
Weather service crews will look at damage in Delaware and Long Island on Friday to determine the strength and path of the tornado.
Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen said the state of emergency was lifted Friday morning and residents and businesses could resume normal activities. Police appeal to residents to be patient and allow extra time to travel.
“Destruction remains throughout the city and crews will be out performing cleanup, repairs and restoring services. You may experience blocked lanes, utility crews, first responders and other delays,” police said on social media.
On Long Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blackman said first responders rescued people trapped in cars during flooding.
Elsewhere in New York, flooding closed part of the Long Island Expressway in both directions in Queens, according to New York City Emergency Management. Photos on social media showed a line of parked cars as emergency workers made their way across the water.
Jersey City, New Jersey Mayor James Solomon said emergency crews rescued 69 people in cars that were submerged in flash floods. Emergency crews used small inflatable boats to rescue trapped people.
Photo: In this photo provided by Jersey City, first responders try to rescue people trapped on a flooded street as storms roll through Jersey City, New Jersey, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (Jersey City, AP)
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