Lubia Estevez and Forest Whitlock, both women in their 60s, died Monday night when they were traveling around 8 p.m. during an intense storm and their car ended up in a ditch before being washed away. It is unclear where they were headed or how they know each other.

Both westbound and eastbound lanes have since reopened. Crews were cleaning up mud, repairing the road and damaged dividers and repaving the roadway. They also painted new stripes in the eastbound lanes. All of these repairs are happening after Monday night's storm that flooded streets and damaged homes, roads and cars.

An official in Plainfield, New Jersey, which saw some of the worst flooding, said the city is exploring new warning systems for flash floods.

The tragedy unfolded just 11 days after three people were killed by falling trees as violent storms ripped through central New Jersey on July 3. Two of those, ages 25 and 79, were from Plainfield, while the third was from neighboring North Plainfield.

The waterlogged US Eastern Seaboard braced for more rain on Tuesday, after flash floods snarled travel, stranded vehicles, and prompted emergency rescues.