People cross the street as rain falls in Times Square as Tropical Storm Henri approaches, in New York on August 22, 2021. (Photo: AFP)

Tropical Storm Henri -- packing strong winds and heavy rain -- made landfall in Rhode Island on the east coast of the United States on Sunday, meteorologists said.

The National Weather Service tweeted that Henri, earlier downgraded from a Category 1 Hurricane, struck land near the town of Westerly at approximately 12:15 pm (1615 GMT).