New York City and New Jersey are under states of emergencies as torrential rain pounds the Northeast on Thursday afternoon.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and her acting counterpart in New Jersey said they were declaring states of emergency for areas facing the threat of extreme flash floods forecast on Thursday for much of the Eastern Seaboard.

The New York City area and New Jersey declared states of emergency Thursday as heavy rain with the potential for flash floods approached the region. Weather is expected to dump several inches of rain in the New York-New Jersey areas as residents make their evening commutes home.

Heavy rains lashed the East Coast of the United States on Thursday, triggering floods in New York City. Amid heavy showers, states of emergency have been declared in New York City and New Jersey. Normal life in major cities from New York to Washington D C has been thrown out of gear as strong rainstorms lashed the region.

Heavy rain is expected to bring dangerous flooding, disrupt commutes and trigger emergency measures across the region.