CeFaan Kim has more from Princeton Junction.
Eyewitness News
Saturday, July 30, 2016 11:22PM
PLAINSBORO, New Jersey (WABC) -- Strong storms loomed across the area on Saturday, bringing torrential downpours, and sending people scrambling for safety in flash floods. A State Of Emergency was declared in West Windsor Township. Nearly six inches of rain fell in just a few hours, and water quickly rose in low-lying areas.
Here's a look at the radar from 3-6 p.m., showing why so much rain fell in Middlesex County:
Flooding at a New Jersey Transit underpass tunnel was waist-high.
AJ Ross had more on conditions from South Brunswick:
The rain was so heavy in Princeton Junction, that one viewer said he couldn't leave Princeton Junction station because of flash flooding.
There are also reports of up to 4 inches of rain in the Plainsboro area.
Another video from Plainsboro shows streets completely flooded, with cars unable to move.
As of 5:30 p.m., Jersey Central Power and Light report 2,726 power outages in Morris County, and 1,036 in Somerset County.
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Four Water Rescues in Princeton as Storm Causes Flash Flooding (Updated)
July 30, 2016, 5:09 pm By Krystal Knapp
Valley Road at Route 206 in Princeton. Photo courtesy of Michael Bender.
The pedestrian tunnel at the Princeton Junction train station at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Photo by Gene Gelernter.
The entrance to the Princeton Junction train station. Photo by reader Lauren Frigerio-DiFalco.
A heavy storm hit the Princeton area on Saturday afternoon, flooding numerous roads and making driving conditions dangerous. A flash flood watch was in effect and has been extended until 10:30 p.m.
The Princeton Junction Train Station is flooded, the canal is flooded, and police in West Windsor said all major roadways are seriously flooded. West Windsor declared a state of emergency just before 6:30 p.m. Motorists must stay off the roads in the township unless travel is necessary. Portions of South Brunswick are also flooded.
Trains to and from New York City are still running, but customers who get off at Princeton Junction may have to go to Hamilton, then take a train back, in order to leave the junction because the pedestrian tunnel is flooded. As of 8:45 p.m. Saturday, passengers said a shuttle bus was being provided by NJ Transit to ferry passengers from one side of the station to the other. The Dinky shuttle is running. Many train commuters who returned to the Princeton Junction parking lot early this evening discovered that their cars were submerged in water and they had to leave them in the parking lot.
Emergency workers and police in the Princeton area scrambled to respond to the high volume of calls Saturday afternoon and evening. In Princeton, four drivers whose cars were stuck in flood waters needed to be rescued. One water rescue was on Alexander Street near University Place and another was on South Harrison Street. Firefighters evacuated a family from their home on White Lane after the home filled with several feet of water. Several businesses in the Princeton area were flooded, including a cafe in West Windsor. The Monmouth Mobile Home Park is flooded in South Brunswick.
The Princeton Public Library is closed because water is coming in on the first floor and the community room is flooded. jaZams toy store is also flooded. The Harry Potter release party was moved to Labyrinth Books on Nassau Street. A video of the water reaching the library can be seen here. (courtesy of reader Suzanne Alley Franzino). Witherspoon Street, Hinds Plaza, and Spring Street all flooded. The Spring Street Garage flooded and water levels reached the top of tires on some cars that were parked on the lower level and would not start up.
Road Closures
Franklin Corner Road, County Road 605 (River Road) south of Bluespring Road, Alexander Road, Route 206, Harrison Street South, Mercer Street, Princeton Pike, Hamilton Avenue, Nassau Street, Dodds Lane, Sycamore Road, Canal Pointe Boulevard, and several other area roads are impassible. Quaker Road is completely submerged, readers said.
The Griggstown Causeway is closed.
Route 1 is flooded all the way from Finnegan’s Lane to Scudders Mill Road. Route 27 is flooded in several spots, including Kingston. One reader said the area near Eno Terra in Kingston was like a lake as of 5 p.m. Washington Road is closed at the tennis center in West Windsor and other sections are also impassable, police said. Police confirmed Quaker Road is closed and River Road is closed from Princeton-Kingston Road to the Montgomery border.
South Brunswick Police provided an update about conditions there at 10 p.m. Saturday night. At least 20 vehicles were towed from the Route 1, Route 522, Deans Lane, Summerfield Development, Raymond Road and Route 27 due to the flooding. There were no injuries or evacuations as a result of the flooding.
Engineers from the New Jersey State Department of Transportation say the water on Route 1 will not subside until Sunday morning. The highway is not expected to open until that time. Route 1 north closed at Ridge Road and Route 1 south is closed just past Raymond Road.
Deans Lane is closed between Blackhorse Lane and Georges Road. Mapelton Road is closed at the Plainsboro Township border.
Route 1 is flooded near Dow Jones. Deans Lane is flooded at the railroad underpass. South Brunswick residents looking to travel north and south should avoid Route 1 and take Route 130 or Route 27.Residents looking to travel east and east can use all routes with the exception of Deans Lane, according to the South Brunswick Police Department.
Between five and six inches of rain fell in the Princeton area within three hours late Saturday afternoon.
If you see standing water, turn around. Don’t drive through it. Police are urging residents to stay home and not attempt to cross flooded roads. Stay in of you can.
Several motorists reported to Planet Princeton that they tried to make it back home as the rain started, but the roads flooded so quickly that many were impassible. Some drivers gave up and pulled over.
One reader was trying to head home to Princeton from MarketFair, but ended up having to take Route 1 north to avoid flooding. Cars were stranded on the jughandle at South Harrison Street because of flooding, so she pulled over at the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro to wait out the storm.
“The rain is still torrential here with no periods of slowing down at all,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Email your storm pictures, videos and stories to editor@planetprinceton.com. We will update this story with more information and photos.
Photo of Route 206 by reader Nika Tagieva.