#Two bodies found in NJ river ID as college students missing

Two bodies that were recovered in New Jersey this week were identified Friday as the missing college students swept away in Hurricane Ida’s flash floods, reports said.

Nidi Rana and Ayush Rana, who attended Seton Hall and lived in Passaic, hadn’t been seen since their car was overtaken by floodwaters during the peak of the storm late last Wednesday, NBC 4 reported.

A female body was first discovered in Passaic River on Wednesday, a little less than four miles away in Kearny, and the second corpse, a male body, was found near Route 21 and Clay Street, NJ.com reported.

A state medical examiner in Newark confirmed their identities on Friday, the outlet said.

Using advanced, underwater sonar technology, search teams have been scouring the Passaic River for more than a week in hopes of recovering those still missing, NBC 4 said.

Donna Lomagro, 56, was nearly rescued on the night of the flood but the current was too strong and she remains missing. 

On Friday, President Biden and FEMA extended the state’s major disaster declaration to Essex, Hudson and Union counties so residents will be able to apply for federal recovery aid. 

The floods killed more than 40 people in New York and New Jersey.