CNN
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Water rescues are under way after heavy rainfall caused a flash flooding emergency in the Connecticut counties of New Haven and Fairfield, according to the National Weather Service.
“At 6:16 PM EDT, emergency management reported numerous water rescues and washouts in Central Fairfield to Northern New Haven Counties,” the weather service said.
About 6 to 10 inches of rain has fallen in both counties with an additional 2 inches possibly on the way Sunday night, the service added.
A flash flood emergency is in effect for parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties until 8 p.m. The emergency includes the cities of Waterbury, Danbury and the town of Fairfield.
The heavy rainfall created dangerous driving conditions that prompted several cities and towns – including Stamford, Danbury, Southbury and Naugatuck – to close roads.
“Multiple roads in town are flooded due to heavy rainfall. We are advising residents to stay in their homes, if at all possible,” Southbury Police said. “Crews are working around town, responding to emergencies and road closures.“
On Sunday afternoon, heaving rainfall also triggered a mudslide that led to a gas leak near an apartment complex in Danbury that had to be evacuated, Danbury Public Information Officer Erin Henry told CNN.
Another Danbury apartment complex on Main Street also had to be evacuated due to flooding, Henry added.
In a post on X, Connecticut’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department said the state’s emergency operations center is monitoring the situation and has deployed an urban search and rescue team to Southbury.
At least two state parks were closed due to flooding, according to posts on the Connecticut State Parks X account.