New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday due to the remnants of Debby bringing severe flooding in some places across the region, her office said.

The storm prompted flash flood emergencies in Steuben and Allegany counties in the Southern Tier and even tornado watches for parts of the state into the evening.

“With the remnants of Debby making its way across New York, I am declaring a statewide State of Emergency, and my administration stands ready to support impacted communities,” Hochul said in a statement. “State agencies have activated swift water rescue teams for impacted regions that require assistance, and it is important for New Yorkers to remain vigilant and stay off the roads.”

Swift water rescue teams have been deployed to impacted areas to support local rescue operations.

Maintenance crews associated with the state Department of Transportation are patrolling state roadways and assisting local municipalities with storm response. Road closures have been implemented along several state roadways in the western Southern Tier because of flooding, the state said.

Luke Parsnow - New York State Politics Digital Content Producer

Luke Parsnow is the New York state politics digital content writer and producer at Spectrum News 1. He is an award-winning writer and political columnist and previously worked for CNYCentral in Syracuse and The Post-Star in Glens Falls, New York.