Hundreds of People Rescued on the East Coast as Debby Dumps Heavy Rain

Nearly a week after becoming an official named storm, Debby continued to wreak havoc across the U.S. on Friday and into the weekend. Dozens of rescues were launched as floodwaters roared across a large portion of the East Coast. Here is a look back at the crazy weather to end the work week.

Catastrophic Flooding and Tornadoes Race Across the Northeast

Life-threatening flooding took over portions of northern Pennsylvania and southern New York state on Friday. Several communities were put under the designation of a rare flood emergency, the most severe flood alert available to meteorologists on Friday afternoon as the flooding gripped the region.

The rising floodwaters trapped residents in their homes and sent rescue crews out on boats and helicopters to reach the stranded people. What was left of the once hurricane pushed through the Northeast to close out the week, bringing heavy rain and the threat of tornadoes.

Friday got off to a bang in Washington, D.C. after multiple tornado warnings were put into effect in and around the nation's capital. This included a tornado warning issued near the busy Reagan National Airport at about 8:20 am, bringing traffic to a standstill.

The district was also dealing with several flash flood warnings as rain fell at rates of over 1 inch every 20 minutes. Not only did this rainfall cause major headaches on the roadways but it also created widespread delays across the Metrorail service.

Northern Pennsylvania was hit particularly hard by the torrential rain on Friday. Water rescues continued throughout the day with up to 100 people calling in for assistance as the waters rushed through Tioga County. A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency confirmed that crews used boats and helicopters to reach the stranded residents. The Pennsylvania National Guard was also deployed to help in the rescue efforts.

Just over the border in New York, a flash flood emergency was issued for Steuben County in the southern part of the state. An additional flash flood emergency was issued for the cities of Andover and Whitesville with hundreds of homes put under evacuation orders.

Steuben County officials said that they have launched at least 40 swift water rescues. Debby's remnants damaged several homes and businesses in this region with roads and bridges also dealing with the impacts of the storm's wrath. Later in the day, a flash flood emergency was declared in the Pennsylvania town of Westfield.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for the entirety of the state on Friday. New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way followed suit later in the day, making a similar declaration for the Garden State.

Elsewhere on the East Coast

Farther to the south, Frederick County, Virginia, was put under a state of emergency on Friday morning thanks to immense flooding that required several water rescues. This part of the state is nestled in the Appalachians about 60 miles west of the nation's capital.

The severe weather impacted millions of Americans. At one point on Friday, there were 7 million people under flood watches as well as 13 million under tornado watches. These weather alerts stretched from South Carolina and up into Vermont, speaking to the large scope of this long-lived tropical feature.

Florida took the brunt of Debby's wrath during its initial landfall. State officials confirmed that at least 150 people were rescued during the first hours of the extreme weather event. The Florida National Guard mobilized more 2,300 members in the response effort. Cleanup efforts are expected to continue through the weekend. Forecasters are warning that high humidity levels will combine with the heat to make it feel miserable throughout the peninsula in the coming days.

Three children were rescued in Raleigh, North Carolina on Thursday after they fell into the swiftly moving waters of a creek. The children had been attempting to cross the creek when the waters picked them up and rushed them away. Raleigh had picked up almost 6 inches of rain from Debby with other parts of the state measuring rainfall eclipsing the 1-foot mark.