Linden officials credit first responders, urge storm precautions after heavy flash flooding

Mayor Armstead said an “epic rainstorm” dumped at least 5.8 inches of rain and in some places “close to 7 inches” over several hours, producing widespread street flooding that stranded vehicles and forced inflatable-rescue deployments. The mayor urged residents to contact their insurance carriers for property damage and to sign up for the city’s emergency alerts.

The mayor said Linden’s police, fire and public works departments, along with neighbors helping neighbors, performed “quick, selfless” work during the storm and that no injuries were reported. He told residents to clear debris from catch basins near their homes as more rain was forecast.

Council members from several wards described a “long night” of water in roadways and basements and praised first responders and neighbors who assisted. Councilman Eloy Javier Delgado said he saw neighbors helping neighbors on Clinton Street and other hard-hit blocks and that residents’ mutual aid helped prevent fatalities.

Residents who spoke during public comment described repeated flooding in low-lying neighborhoods and urged sustained cleanup and engineering action on creeks and stormwater channels. Resident Craig Halloran, a former wastewater worker, urged public education on stormwater work and on sewer testing. Sylvan Zeidman asked the city to clear silt and vegetation from a local brook he said contributes to repeated flooding.

Mayor Armstead provided practical guidance: sign up for Everbridge emergency alerts (member.everbridge.net), report nonemergency storm damage to Linden Central Dispatch at (908) 474-8500, and call 911 for life‑threatening emergencies such as people trapped in flood water or downed live wires. He noted that, as of the meeting, no federal disaster declaration had been issued for Linden and that federal assistance programs therefore were not available.

The city also directed residents to report utility outages to PSE&G and to New Jersey American Water and said PSE&G outage status can be checked using the PSE&G outage center or mobile app. Mayor Armstead said the city would assist with storm‑related special trash pickups when appropriate.

Officials and residents said repeated, intense storms are stressing Linden’s stormwater system and called for continued planning and maintenance to reduce future flooding. The mayor credited stricter stormwater requirements for major redevelopment projects with limiting flooding in some redeveloped corridors, while noting residential areas with more impervious surface remain vulnerable.

The mayor and council did not adopt a new stormwater measure during the meeting; they urged residents to report damage, to clear catch basins, and to monitor city and weather alerts for updates.