New York and New Jersey declare states of emergency over 'brutal flooding'
Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city was "enduring a historic weather event" with "brutal flooding" and "dangerous conditions" on the roads. Footage on social media showed water pouring into subway stations and people's homes and flooded roads.
New Jersey also declared an emergency and reported at least one death. The local mayor said a person drowned in Passaic, New Jersey; a tornado also destroyed at least nine homes in Mullica Hill, in the same state.
The roof of a postal building collapsed in Kearny, New Jersey, with people inside at the time, police said. Rescue crews are on the scene, but it's not clear how many injuries there might be.
The National Weather Service said it had recorded 3.15 inches (8cm) of rain in New York's Central Park in one hour.
New York police have urged people to stay off the roads, and the fire department has said it is responding to calls from across the city.
The city's subway has mostly closed, and many train services and flights out of New York and New Jersey are suspended.
The remnants of Hurricane Ida have been pushing north across the east of the country, having hit Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday.
Hundreds of thousands of homes in Louisiana remain without power, and New Orleans is under a night-time curfew.
Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely.
The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began, and temperatures will keep rising unless governments worldwide make steep cuts to emissions.
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