Rob Nelson reporting live
Mike Waterhouse and Jennifer Matarese
Updated 25 mins ago
SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. (WABC) -- Parts of Route 22 may be closed for the morning rush hour after several inches of rain fell in parts of Union County Wednesday, leaving some areas with severe flooding.
Only the shoulder is open on Route 22 East from Westfield Road to New Providence Road. It is unclear when that road will fully reopen.
Water left a lot of cars stranded on Route 22; pavement buckled under some sections as water poured beneath it.
Most of the severe flooding has been concentrated in the Scotch Plains area. Meteorologist Jeff Smith said AccuTrack radar indicates more than 3 inches have fallen in the area. He said the storm stayed in place over that area for at least two hours.
The sound of car alarms filled the damp, heavy air Wednesday evening. Big dump trucks couldn't make it through the high water, so smaller cars never had a chance.
Utility poles too became unmoored. Flooding even resulted in a wall collapse in Watchung in a parking lot of the Weldon Quarry. Fortunately, no one was inside of the several cars that were smashed as flat as pancakes.
These photos show flooding on Byrd Avenue off Route 22 in Scotch Plains:
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