32 New York Counties in Emergency; Storms Take Lives of 2 Young Sisters, Woman

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Sunday, June 22, declared a state of emergency in 32 counties in response to severe weather.

Three deaths in the town of Kirkland have been attributed to the severe thunderstorms that hit parts of the North Country, Central New York, Southern Tier, and the Capital District early Sunday morning. The storms felled trees and power lines, causing structural damage and numerous power outages.

Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol reported that a tree that fell on a home on Hoyland Avenue took the lives of two six-year old sisters. Both girls were pronounced dead on the scene.

Maciol also reported the death of a woman after a tree collapsed onto her residence on Millstream Court.

Rainfall rates were up to two inches per hour and flash floods were reported.

Chenango County has issued a state of emergency for all of the county where many areas are experiencing life-threatening flash flooding conditions.

More than 30,000 customers in Oneida Couty lost power.

A multi-day heatwave begins today statewide, with a combination of high temperatures and humidity resulting in feels-like temperatures between 90 to over 100 degrees through Wednesday.

“Our hearts break for the tragic loss of life during last night’s storms, and my administration has been in touch with local elected officials offering support,” Hochul said. “State emergency response personnel are already on the ground providing resources and support as we work to recover from this severe weather and restore power quickly. I urge all New Yorkers to stay weather aware and take precautions to stay vigilant and safe as extreme heat and severe weather are expected to continue impacting the state over the next couple of days.”

Topics Windstorm New York