Thomas Breen photo
Tuesday midday at Whitney and Trumbull.
(Updated) A driver was taken to the hospital Tuesday after driving through the heavy rainstorm — and then crashing into a house at Hobart Street and Whalley Avenue.
City Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana offered that update during a City Hall press conference about the latest with New Haven’s daylong deluge with water.
Fontana and Mayor Justin Elicker said that the city received four inches of rain between midnight and 8 a.m. — with two of those inches falling after 6 a.m.
Mayor Elicker and Emergency Management Director Fontana at Tuesday's presser.
“We were inundated with water this morning,” Fontana said. He said the amount of rainwater New Haven expects to get hit with Tuesday is more than the city would expect to receive over the course of a whole month. (According to this state precipitation report, New Haven County saw less than 2 inches of rainfall in July, rather than the “normal” amount of over 4 inches that month, during this summer’s drought.)
Elicker said that some of the streets most affected by flooding Tuesday have been Union Avenue, Meadow Street, Quinnipiac Avenue, Middletown Avenue, Whalley Avenue, Brewery Street, and Lombard Street.
“Do not drive through flooded water,” Elicker implored during his time at the mic. “Do not drive through flooded water. We see people consistently do this. … You put yourselves and others at risk, and first responders at risk, if you get stuck in flooded water.”
Fontana agreed. “Our goal is to say: Please do not drive through flooded waters. Turn around. It’s dangerous,” and could be life-threatening.
He said that, in addition to seeing “a lot” of cars towed out of flooded roadways, Tuesday’s storm had also already resulted in one significant car crash. That took place at Hobart Street and Whalley Avenue, where a car driving through the heavy rain drove into a house.
“The driver was transported for injuries by [ambulance] to Yale New Haven Hospital,” Fontana said.
Elicker added during Tuesday’s presser that the rainstorm was a reminder of how much work the city needs to do to respond to and mitigate the harms of climate change, including an expected increase in flash flooding.
He said that just this weekend the city has started looking to hire for two new positions in City Hall’s newly created climate and sustainability office: one director position, and one “sustainability analyst” position.
See below for the full text of an email and text message alert that Mayor Elicker sent out Tuesday morning about the flooding.
Hi, this is Mayor Justin Elicker with an important message for New Haven residents about heavy rains and potential flooding in our area.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for our area this morning, and there remains a flood watch through today, Tuesday, September 6th.
Combined with high tides today at 8:10 AM and 8:27 PM tonight, there is the possibility that areas of the city and roadways can become flooded without warning and become dangerous and cause damage quickly.
A few quick safety tips for residents:
- Ensure your vehicles are not parked in low lying areas.
- Drive with caution as hydroplaning can occur without warning.
- Do not drive though flooded roadways – instead, just turn around and chose a different route.
- Check in on your family, friends and neighbors.
- Call 9 – 1‑1 for any flood-related emergencies.
Thank you for your cooperation and stay safe!