Isaias ravages east coast of U.S., killing at least 4
Updated 10:21, 05-Aug-2020
CGTN
01:37

Tropical storm Isaias is wre​aking havoc along the eastern coast of the United States. The storm came ashore as a hurricane in North Carolina, drenching the state with heavy rains. It spawned a number of tornados – including one that wiped out a mobile home park.

At least four people were killed. Two people died when Isaias spun off a tornado that struck a North Carolina mobile home park. Authorities said two others were killed by falling trees toppled by the storm in Maryland and New York City.

Isaias sustained top winds of up to 65 mph (105 kph) more than 18 hours after coming ashore, but it was down to 50 mph max winds as of 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm's center was passing through the middle of Vermont, moving north-northeast at about 40 mph (65 kph).

As Isaias sped northward, the hurricane center warned of flash flood threats in New York's Hudson River Valley and the potential for severe river flooding elsewhere in the mid-Atlantic region.

In Philadelphia, the Schuylkill River was projected to crest early Wednesday at 15.4 feet (4.7 meters), its highest level in more than 150 years. By Tuesday night, the river had already overtopped its banks in low-lying Manayunk, turning bar-lined Main Street into a coffee-colored canal.

Two people died after a tornado demolished several mobile homes in Windsor, North Carolina. Emergency responders finished searching the wreckage Tuesday afternoon. They found no other casualties, and several people initially feared missing had all been accounted for, said Ron Wesson, chairman of the Bertie County Board of Commissioners. He said about 12 people were hospitalized.

In New York City, a massive tree fell and crushed a van in the Briarwood section of Queens, killing Mario Siles, a 60-year-old construction contractor who was inside the vehicle, police said. A woman in Mechanicsville, Maryland, died when a tree crashed onto her car during stormy conditions, said Cpl. Julie Yingling of the St. Mary's County sheriff's office.

A Philadelphia police officer rushes to help a stranded motorist during Tropical Storm Isaias, August 4, 2020. /AP

A Philadelphia police officer rushes to help a stranded motorist during Tropical Storm Isaias, August 4, 2020. /AP

Tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. Power outages also spread as trees fell, with more than 3.7 million customers losing electricity across multiple states as of 8:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks utility reports. New Jersey had the most outages of any state, with more than 1.3 million earlier in the day. New York City's power utility said it saw more outages from Isaias than from any storm except Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

New York City, much of New Jersey, all of Massachusetts and other parts of New England went under a tornado watch. New York state officials temporarily shut down coronavirus testing centers as a precaution.

(With input from agencies)