As firefighters were in the midst of responding to devastating flash floods in northern New Jersey on Monday night, they received alerts that a house had exploded and was engulfed in flames despite the torrential rains, CBS News New York reported. 

At least two people had been killed in the flooding, according to CBS News, though reportedly no one was harmed by the house explosion.

What's happening?

On Monday, July 14, slow-moving thunderstorms dumped inches of rain on northern New Jersey and New York City over the course of just hours, with Watchung, New Jersey, receiving more than 6.5 inches, reported NJ.com.

According to witnesses, the flooding started slowly at first but quickly rose to catastrophic levels. 

"Maybe in like 15, 20 minutes it went from maybe just a little stream of water, and then it just started flooding over," one witness told CBS News New York. "Pretty scary."

The suddenness of the flooding left many local residents stranded in their vehicles and in need of rescue. 

First responders used watercraft and heavy construction equipment to traverse the floodwaters and reach those in need. Some were rescued in the bucket of a massive front loader, per CBS News.

At the height of the storm, floodwaters swept a vehicle carrying two women into a brook. Although a witness called 911, first responders were unable to reach the vehicle under the treacherous conditions, and the women were presumed to have drowned, according to WABC New York.

"I've never seen flooding like this," said Michael Vargas, a local resident who was trapped in his vehicle for more than an hour, per CBS News New York.  

Meanwhile, in the midst of flood-rescue efforts, first responders received reports of a house explosion that had occurred in North Plainfield. When firefighters arrived, the entire front of the home had been blown off, and the structure was engulfed in flames, per CBS News. 

Firefighters waded through floodwaters several inches high, as they used hoses to douse the flames. Officials were investigating the fire's origins but had not yet announced any findings, according to CBS News. It is unknown whether the explosion was related to the flooding. 

According to USA Today, a preliminary investigation suggested that the explosion was due to a gas leak. The home appeared unoccupied at the time, and no injuries were reported, per CBS.

The New York Post later reported that this was only the case because the family had evacuated to avoid the floods. "The storm saved our lives. We could have been inside, thinking that we are safe, and then — boom," resident Lina Delgado-Ramos told the Post.

Why do flash floods seem to have become more common?

While no single weather event can be tied directly to human causes, the scientific consensus has been that, as global temperatures rise, the magnitude of severe weather events will increase due largely to warmer air holding more moisture, making these storms more destructive.

Warmer temperatures can lead to more evaporation and humidity, and more moisture in the air can lead to more intense rainfall and, in turn, more flash floods. Even slightly higher totals of rain beyond the normal in an area can overwhelm existing drainage infrastructure and cause low-lying areas to accumulate water very quickly. 

A study by Climate Central found that, from 1970 to 2022, rainfall intensity at 150 weather stations across the U.S. increased by an average of 13%.

Increased rainfall intensity means more flash floods and more flood destruction. From 1988 to 2017, rain-induced flash floods caused $73 billion in damage, Climate Central found.

ProPublica made a stark comparison between recent years and decades past: "In the United States, which prefers to measure its losses in dollars, the damage from major storms was more than $180 billion last year, nearly 10 times the average annual toll during the 1980s, after accounting for inflation. These storms have now cost Americans nearly $3 trillion. Meanwhile, the number of annual major disasters has grown sevenfold."

This damage destroys lives and livelihoods, wrecks businesses, damages homes, and disrupts local communities forever. Even far from disaster areas, people feel the impact in rising insurance premiums and, often, increases in the prices of certain commodities.

What's being done about flash floods?

While fully addressing rising temperatures will require a global effort that brings together government, industry, and private individuals, there is plenty that can be done at the local level both to reduce the amount of heat-trapping pollution entering the atmosphere and to make homes and communities more resilient. 

For example, taking public transit, driving an EV, or installing solar on your home all can reduce planet-warming pollution, while often saving money, too. 

How concerned are you about your energy bills increasing this summer? Very 😰 Somewhat 😏 Not much 🤷 Not at all 🧘 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Further, installing solar with a home-battery system will reduce the amount of pollution your household generates while also making your home more resilient in the event of a power outage. An EV can help with that too, as many EVs these days can provide vehicle-to-home charging with the right adapter kit. 

EnergySage offers a free tool that makes it easy to compare quotes from vetted solar and home battery installers in your area, saving customers up to $10,000 in the process through government tax credits that expire later this year.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.