NJ Weather Emergency: Drivers Stranded, Kearny Post Office Collapse, Tornado Damage

The fast-moving remnants of Hurricane Ida brought devastating tornadoes and torrential flash flooding to many corners of New Jersey.

The storm damaged more than a hundred properties in a town where a tornado touched down in Gloucester County while collapsing the roof of a Postal Service building more than a hundred miles away.

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Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency late Wednesday night after more than 11 inches of rain fell in some parts of the state and more was expected to fall until about midnight.

The flooding quickly developed after several reported tornadoes touched down in Gloucester County, destroying more than a half dozen homes in a single Mullica Hill neighborhood in Harrison Township.

Powerful tornadoes

Elsewhere Harrison Township, nearly a hundred properties were damaged with more than two dozen considered a potential loss, according to Mayor Lou Manzo, who said that a farm lost its silo.

The mayor said at least one person was hospitalized.

At 6:22 p.m., radar confirmed a tornado over the Mullica Hill section. Several people captured photos of the menacing funnel cloud.

An NBC 10 Philadelphia reporter on the scene at Josephine and Marvin lanes said that about nine homes were seriously damaged but all residents were accounted for.

Several hours after the Mullica Hill tornado, the storm knocked down the roof of the Postal Service building in Kearny. At least seven people were injured but all employees were accounted for, according to reports from the scene.

Across the state, countless drivers were stranded in their vehicles when flash floods consumed interstates and local roadways in Central and North Jersey. In some places, the flooding was so deep that cars floated down the street.

Reports from across New Jersey

Because of the flooding, schools were closed for Thursday in East Amwell while Hunterdon Central Regional High School canceled its first day due to flooding.

Somerset County officials urged all residents to stay off the roads until flood waters recede.

Flooding blocked traffic on Route 78 in Bedminster and the New Jersey Turnpike near Exit 12.

NJ Transit on Wednesday suspended all rail service except for the Atlantic City Rail Line.

Hillsborough: Multiple cars and trucks were stuck in flood waters.

Somerville: Numerous cars stranded in impassible flooded streets, where 5.54 inches of rain fell in less than three hours.

Flemington: Cars were flooded on streets.

Sayreville: Multiple water rescues.

Union County: Numerous water rescues in several towns.

Livingston: A rescue boat was pulling people from cars trapped on Walnut Street, East Hobart Gap Road and Old Short Hills Road.

Kearny: Multiple roads were closed because of flooding, including Passaic Avenue, Harrison Avenue near Walmart and Route 7. Streets also were flooded in several Newark and Jersey City neighborhoods. In South Street in Newark, a person had to be rescued from the roof of a car.

Ho-Ho-Kus: People were being rescued from stranded cars on Route 17

Wyckoff: Multiple water rescues on Route 208.

Power outages

More than 80,000 addresses had lost power late Wednesday night.

The state's utilities urged customers to report all power outages and fallen

Officials also asked people to avoid all fallen power lines and to assume they are live.

Drivers should also steer clear of roadways that are underwater because of the potential for downed power lines that are not visible.

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