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Severe Storms Knock Down Trees, Cut Power; 3 Killed Upstate

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Strong winds and heavy rain pounded parts of the Tri-State Area Tuesday evening.

Storms were also blamed for the deaths of three people upstate near Syracuse.

There was no rain in Midtown Manhattan late Tuesday, but strong winds did take down trees at 43rd Street and Tenth Avenue on the West Side. The FDNY said debris fell from a construction site at the scene.

In Edison, New Jersey, powerful winds knocked down several trees and power lines.

The storms were blamed for power outages to 39,000 customers in New Jersey Tuesday evening, according to Public Service Electric & Gas. Most were in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer counties.

A severe thunderstorm watch was in effect through most of the night for the five boroughs of New York City and most of the Tri-State Area – with the exception of Suffolk County, Long Island. Severe thunderstorm warnings were also issued for north suburban areas, parts of New Jersey, and southwest Connecticut through the evening.

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Far more devastating weather was seen upstate where the National Weather Service confirmed that three people were killed in Smithfield as fast-moving storms plowed through the Syracuse area around 7 p.m.

Smithfield Storm Damage
Severe storms were blamed for the deaths of three people in upstate Smithfield, near Syracuse, on Tuesday, July 8. (Credit: John Haeger/ Oneida Dispatch)

CBS affiliate WTVH-TV in Syracuse reported that a mother and her daughter were among those killed in a building collapse in in the 4800 block of Goff Road in Smithfield – located in Madison County southeast of Syracuse.

The Oneida Daily Dispatch reported at least one home was leveled. The National Weather Service was trying to determine late Tuesday whether a tornado was to blame for the damage.

Smithfield Storm Damage
Severe storms were blamed for the deaths of three people in upstate Smithfield, near Syracuse, on Tuesday, July 8. (Credit: John Haeger/ Oneida Dispatch)

Tornado warnings were issued earlier Tuesday in Onondaga, Madison and Cayuga counties upstate. A tornado warning was also issued Tuesday evening or northwest Sullivan County, southeast Broome County, and southwest Delaware County in New York State; as well as eastern Susquehanna and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania.

CBS 2 Meteorologist Elise Finch reported the storms significantly weakened as they pushed closer to New York City. But north of the city, intense storms still raced to the east at 40 mph and were expected to continue well into the overnight hours.

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