Voluntary evacuation urged before flooding in Burlington County, NJ

🌧️An inch of rain is expected in already hard-hit areas along the Delaware River

🌧️'Another nasty storm, with flooding and power outages'

🌧️Burlington County has opened a shelter at the Delran Firehouse

Communities along the Delaware River in Burlington County are bracing for potential flooding from heavy rain and gusty winds expected Friday night.

New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said that the rain should begin to overspread the state around 7 p.m. with the worst of the storm between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Gusty winds and another 2 inches of rain will impact an area with already saturated ground.

"Another nasty storm, with flooding and power outages," Zarrow said.

The Burlington County Office of Emergency Management declared a state of emergency and called for a voluntary evacuation in areas impacted earlier this week.

Voluntary evacuation

More than 50 homes in the East Riverton section of Cinnaminson and the area of Alden and Stewart avenues and River Drive in Delran were impacted by flooding from Tuesday's heavy rain. Homes were evacuated in Bordentown City, Palmyra and Riverside.

“Our emergency management teams and first responders are making preparations, but in the interest of everyone’s safety, we’re asking residents in our previous flood zones to voluntarily evacuate in order to avoid putting lives at risk," Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Dan O’Connell said in a statement.

Minor flooding along the Rancocas Creek is also possible, according to Zarrow.

Delaware River near flood stage

Red Cross New Jersey opened a shelter inside the Delran Firehouse located at 9 South Bridgeboro St. Friday afternoon with a second larger site available if needed.

The Delaware River at Burlington reached major flood stage Tuesday at nearly 12 feet and has been slowly receding ever since, according to the NOAA's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service. It is projected to return to major flood stage on Saturday.

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