New York ? Severe thunderstorms caused flash flooding that washed out roads in the southern Catskill Mountains, and police said at least four people were reported missing Wednesday.

One death was blamed on the storms elsewhere in the state.

Up to eight inches of rain fell in two hours late Tuesday as the storms rolled across the region, washing out roads and homes near Roscoe and slamming trees into bridges in the rural area.

No deaths had been confirmed in the Catskills flooding, but 75 to 100 state troopers assisted by officers from other agencies searched for four people Wednesday afternoon, said Sgt. Keith Hocker. He said witnesses saw two of the missing people being swept away by high water.

“We have helicopters, we have people on the ground, we have divers,” Hocker said before the search was called off for the night late Wednesday. Teams planned to resume their work in the morning.