Severe Storms Pound Northeast U.S. with Possible Tornadoes and Flooding

Heavy rain and strong winds pounded the Northeast U.S. on Thursday as severe storms tore through a Long Island beach, stranded dozens of motorists in New Jersey, and knocked out power in parts of Delaware’s capital city.

Photos and video shared on social media showed debris thrown into the air and pummeling rain as a possible tornado touched down at Atlantic Beach on Long Island’s outer barrier. The storm tore apart a major beach club, leaving broken beach chairs and wood beams littered across the shoreline.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said there were no reports of serious injuries or deaths, but noted damage to property as a search team checked to ensure no one was trapped inside the cabanas. He declared a state of emergency.

"There are reports of people trapped in their vehicles due to flooding in the south shore, and first responders are assisting in their rescue," he said in a statement.

Following significant damage to its buildings, the Sun and Surf Beach Club temporarily closed its venue as well as nearby Silver Point.

The National Weather Service had previously warned of waterspouts—tornado-like hazards that occur over water—in the area, but was unable to immediately confirm if a tornado landed on the beach.

Bryan Ramsey, a meteorologist for the weather service in New York, said the storm was moving East offshore Thursday evening and was expected to taper off over the next several hours.

In other parts of New York, severe flooding caused part of the Long Island Expressway in Queens to close in both directions, according to New York City Emergency Management. Images on social media showed lines of stopped cars as emergency crews traversed through the water.

In Jersey City, New Jersey, emergency crews rescued 69 people trapped in cars overtaken by flash flooding Thursday, according to Mayor James Solomon. Rescuers waded through roads filled with knee-high water using small inflatable boats to reach those who were stranded.

A likely tornado touched down in Dover, Delaware, causing significant damage across the capital city, the police department reported. Police said there were no reports of serious injuries.

"Dover — please take this seriously. Stay home. Stay safe," the department said on Facebook.

Photos and video online showed fallen trees, downed power lines and flooded roads throughout the city.

The Delaware Electric Cooperative said more than 1,000 customers were left without power in the northern part of its service area, though most outages were fixed within a few hours.