A DELUGE of water has descended on cities and towns up and down the East Coast as it is battered by a rapidly intensifying nor’easter storm.

The raging storm has brought much of New England and the New York metropolitan region to a standstill with huge travel disruption, major sporting and music event cancelations, and mass power outages.

Gigantic waves and extreme winds have battered the East Coast as the Nor’easter hits

Millions of Americans lie in the storm’s path with many now living under state of emergency declarations

Officials have warned people to stay home if possible and keep an eye on neighbors, especially those in low-lying areas and homes like basement flats

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has warned that ‘much more is coming’

On Friday, millions Americans were warned to prepare for potential flooding, fierce wind conditions, and travel chaos.

As the storm slammed multiple states overnight and Saturday morning, over 85,000 homes were plunged into darkness across New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, some residents who braved going out were seen hopping into kayaks to get around.

As cities and towns come to a halt, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has warned that “much more is coming” with the powerful cyclone set to pummel the Atlantic coast for much of the weekend.

“Mark my words: Much more is coming,” she said, with up to 8 inches of rain and 80mph winds forecast through to Sunday night, a meterologist told The Post.

Coastal areas have seen the worst of the flooding during high tide on Saturday morning, including parts of New Jersey and Long Island.

They have been warned that surging waters could be worsened with the full moon which will reach its peak illumination at 12:49pm.

“Stay out of the water. Stay away from the water. Don’t go near boats. Just be smart if you live in those coastal areas,” Hochul warned.

“Between the vicious rip currents, the heavy winds and the mammoth waves, conditions are extremely dangerous.”

“Anyone who goes in or near the water this weekend is literally gambling with their life,” she added.

Waves as high as 20 feet are expected to batter the region as wind gusts exceed 85mph.

“Large breaking waves will continue to generate strong rip currents, beach erosion, road closures, and property damage for the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic into Southern New England through Monday,” the NWS has said.

Officials added that ocean waves could reach 28 feet, posing extreme danger to ships.

Meanwhile, footage shows vehicles in Atlantic City, New Jersey, driving through floodwaters as the roads turn to rivers.

Part of New England are set to bear the brunt of the powerful storm

Thousands of homes have been plunged into darkness as powerlines are downed and residents in some areas are resorting to kayaks and surf boards to get around

Officials there warned of “extreme flooding,” though they noted that the water is receding ahead of the next high tide at around 8pm.

Several parts of the Tri-State area remain under a state of emergency as people are told to stay home.

Atlantic City officials told residents “if you do not have to drive, if it is not an emergency, stay at home.”

Meanwhile, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said on Friday he was ordering the Emergency Operations Center to go into “enhanced monitoring mode,” working with state agencies on response efforts.

Dangerously high winds and torrents of rain have seen hundreds of flights canceled, primarily at Boston’s Logan International Airport, where over 250 have been scrapped.

Forecasters had warned on Friday that New England would see the worst of the storm.

As forecasts became clearer, major airlines started issuing waivers to travelers impacted by the storm so they could rebook flights without extra costs.

Meanwhile, several train lines have been suspended with Amtrak canceling trains between Connecticut and Massachusetts and ferry services have been axed including in Rhode Island, Nantucket, and Cape Cod.

In addition, the remaining MLB schedule has been thrown into disarray with games rescheduled and multiple music festivals and concerts have been canceled.

This included the abrupt cancellation of Ed Sheeran’s Massachusetts concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/17061079/noreaster-slams-east-coast-weather-warning-flooding-forecast/