Extreme rain and flash flooding swamps Northeast metro areas, killing at least 2 people

Intense rain swamped the East Coast Monday, setting off dangerous flash flooding from Virginia to New York that killed at least two people and prompted dozens of rescues as water overwhelmed roads and subways.

Flooding was reported near Newark, New Jersey, New York City, northern Virginia and southern Maryland, according to the National Weather Service.

Two people died in Plainfield, New Jersey, after a vehicle was swept away by floodwater, Union County spokesperson Kelly Martins told CNN. Officials did not provide additional information.

More rain is expected Tuesday across the southern Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic. Storms the East on Tuesday will be more scattered and less intense than Monday’s, but they could still bring some heavy rain wherever they bubble up – and with the ground already soaked in these areas, as little as an inch of additional rain could set off more flooding.

Showers on Monday dominated the Northeast by the latter half of the day and the heaviest storms arrived by early evening, threatening rush hour commuters.