Towns across New Jersey are cleaning up damage from floods on Monday. in Bridgewater Township, homes were damaged, cars were flooded and roads were closed. Mayor Matthew Moench joins FOX Weather to give an update on recovery efforts.

One of the two people who died in Plainfield, New Jersey, during Monday's intense storms has been identified as a beloved member of the local school district.Lubia Estevez, 60, worked as a food services cashier in the Plainfield School District for 15 years.

The odds of being struck by lightning is less than one in a million in a given year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But people have died from lightning strikes in New Jersey before. In June 2024, a Manchester man was killed in Seaside Park.

Much of the U.S., including North Carolina, has experienced a significant increase in intense rainfall and widespread flooding throughout July, often unrelated to tropical systems and impacting areas outside designated floodplains.

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency for New Jersey as considerable rain fell on July 14 with more expected as the night progresses.

Footage shows wooden slats from the home on the ground with other debris. The blast took place around the same time heavy rainfall hit the northeast.

Elected officials and environmental organizations are calling for the full adoption of the Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) NJPACT