Heavy rains lead to water rescues, grist mill destruction in upstate New York

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CASTLETON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. (AP) — Cleanup efforts were underway in parts of upstate New York on Thursday following two days of heavy rains that led to flash flooding, water rescues and the destruction of a centuries-old grist mill.

Nearly a foot (30 centimeters) of rain fell in parts of Columbia and Rensselaer counties near Albany during a 48-hour period ending Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said. Albany, the state capital, was hit with 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain over the same period.

First responders in Albany and several other towns said they rescued people from their homes and vehicles on Wednesday as waterways and streets flooded. Crews also pumped out waterlogged basements. There were no reports of deaths or injuries, and the flood waters were receding Thursday.

Photos and videos posted online showed stranded cars with water up to their door windows, local farmland inundated by the heavy rains and fast-moving floodwaters spilling over roads.

The grist mill owner, Andy Klein, said a neighbor banged on his front door at about 8 a.m. Wednesday in Castleton-on-Hudson, warning him of the flooding. An abutting creek swamped his property with waters 3 to 4 feet (91 centimeters to 122 centimeters) deep and destroyed the oldest part of the mill next to his home.

“It’s just a horrible event,” he said. “The mill’s been there for hundreds of years, and (a) very sad event. I’m a big fan of history, and I just watched a building being torn apart.”

The water plant in Castleton-on-Hudson sustained damage during the flooding, leading to an advisory for local residents to boil their water and reduce water usage, officials said.

Heavy rains earlier this week swamped other areas of New York as well as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, flooding streets and leading to water rescues.