A 10-year-old boy died after being swept into New Jersey’s swollen Passaic River as historic flooding devastated the Northeast, dropping nearly 12 inches of rain in some areas and prompting dozens of water rescues across multiple states.

Child Victims and Desperate Search

The boy’s body was recovered from the Passaic River after he and two other children were caught in the rushing waters Tuesday. His 11-year-old sister escaped, but rescue teams continue searching for a 10-year-old girl still missing in the flood-swollen river. Passaic Mayor Hector Lora confirmed the tragedy occurred as the river ran dangerously high from relentless rainfall that pounded the region for two consecutive days.

Water rescue teams deployed boats and heavy equipment to reach stranded families throughout eastern New York. In Putnam County, responders drove a front-end loader through floodwaters surrounding a home where water had risen to vehicle bumpers. State swiftwater rescue teams pulled two adults and two children from flooded homes in Coeymans, while firefighters in Chatham extracted a mail carrier trapped in their delivery vehicle.

Record-Breaking Rainfall Paralyzes Region

Albany International Airport measured 6.7 inches of rain since Tuesday, shattering the city’s two-day rainfall record. Schodack, New York, received nearly 12 inches—more than double the area’s typical July rainfall. The deluge forced closure of nearly two dozen roads in Columbia County alone, where local fire departments worked frantically to pump water from inundated homes. Video footage showed cars stranded in waist-deep water in Guilderland, with residents carrying children to safety through the flooded streets.

Transportation ground to a halt as more than 200 flights were canceled at LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark airports. Boston Logan International reported over 70 cancellations and hundreds of delays. Amtrak suspended all service between New York City and Albany due to high water and debris blocking tracks.

States of Emergency Declared

Multiple counties in eastern New York declared states of emergency as the storm system stalled over the region. In Pennsylvania, rescue crews saved three people and two dogs from a residence in Coalport before the system moved northeast. The storm weakened Wednesday evening, with forecasters predicting only scattered showers overnight. However, a Level 1 flooding risk remains in effect from Boston to coastal Maine Thursday as lingering rain bands pass through the area.