Heavy rainfall and strong winds struck the Northeast U.S. on Thursday, creating chaos in several areas. A significant storm swept through Atlantic Beach on Long Island, causing damage to a major beach club and scattering debris.
The Inwood Fire Department reported substantial destruction at the Sun and Surf Beach Club, where many cabanas were damaged or destroyed. Fire Chief Josiyah Green remarked that luck played a role as there were no injuries.
Best I can call it is luck. Just by the grace of luck that a lot of people weren’t hurt here because this beach club is a very popular place during the summer.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency due to flooding. He noted reports of individuals trapped in vehicles on the south shore, with first responders actively conducting rescues.
The National Weather Service indicated potential tornado-like hazards, including waterspouts, but could not immediately verify a tornado at Atlantic Beach. Meteorologist Bryan Ramsey noted the storm was expected to ease as it moved eastward offshore.
The Long Island Expressway in Queens faced significant flooding, resulting in closures. Emergency teams navigated the waterlogged road to assist affected motorists.
In Dover, Delaware, a confirmed tornado caused extensive damage. No injuries were reported, but buildings such as the Days Inn and Super Lodge suffered structural damage, including collapsed roofs.
It would certainly appear that way based on the path of travel and the amount of damage that we’ve had.
Kuimonie Goins from Greensboro, North Carolina, recounted her experience at the Days Inn in Dover during the storm. “When it started raining, we started seeing like pieces of buildings flying, and then we started to see the tornado form, and then we ran in the bathroom because we were scared,” she said.
Over 1,000 residents in northern Delaware lost power. The region, including parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, faced flash flood warnings. Flooding and structural damage underscore the storm’s severity.