ANDOVER, Vermont (AP) — A storm that brought two months’ worth of rain to Vermont cities and towns flooded in two days, prompting officials to lock residents in their homes and block roads. This has enabled them to concentrate on recovery from the disaster that caused road congestion. Business with mud and debris.
In the capital Montpelier, where roads were flooded by the Winooski River on Tuesday, water levels at a dam just upstream appeared to be stable, officials said.
“Looks like they won’t break through. That’s good. It’s one less priority for us to work on,” said Montpelier town manager Bill Fraser.
Mr Fraser said concerns about the dam remain, but with the water receding the city is moving into recovery mode. Public works workers are scheduled to arrive at work Wednesday to begin clearing downtown mud and debris, and building inspections will begin as businesses begin to clean up the premises.
The slow storm hit parts of New York and Connecticut on Sunday before reaching New England. Some areas received 7 to 9 inches (18 to 23 centimeters) of rain. Massive flooding and road washouts have hit towns in southwestern New Hampshire, and the Connecticut River was expected to exceed the flood stage in Hartford and its southern towns on Wednesday.
In Vermont’s capital, brown water from the Winooski River blankets vehicles, obscuring all but the tops of parking meters along picturesque streets lined with flooded brick shops with basements and lower floors rice field. On Tuesday, some residents of the city of 8,000 struggled through waist-high water. Others surveyed the site in canoes and kayaks along the main thoroughfare.
Brian Pfeiffer was stunned by what he saw while canoeing downtown to assess the damage. The basements of all buildings, including the building where he works, and the lower floors of most buildings were flooded. The city’s fire station was also flooded.
“It’s really annoying when a fire station is submerged,” says Pfeiffer.
Similar scenes occurred at nearby Barre and Bridgewater, where the banks of the Ottauchee River had drained.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott said flood water levels have exceeded levels seen during Tropical Storm Irene. In August 2011, Eileen killed six people in Vermont, washed away the foundations of homes, damaged or destroyed more than 200 bridges and 500 miles (805 kilometers) of highways.
Floods have already caused tens of millions of dollars in damage across the state. There are no reports of injuries or deaths related to Vermont’s floods, and Rapid Water Rescue Teams assisted by National Guard helicopter crews have made more than 100 rescues, the Vermont Emergency Management Department said Tuesday. .
One of the hardest-hit areas was New York’s Hudson Valley, where a woman identified by police as Pamela Nugent, 43, died while trying to flee her flooded home in the Fort Montgomery community with her dog. bottom.
Atmospheric scientists say destructive flooding events will become more frequent as storms form in the warmer atmosphere, and rising global temperatures will only exacerbate the situation.
More rain was expected in Vermont on Thursday and Friday, but National Weather Service meteorologist Peter Banakos said the state will be spared more downpours.
The focus was on reopening roads, ensuring the safety of stranded homeowners, and clearing mud and debris from flooded shops.
“We have been devastated. said during the evaluation.
Among the losses was the town’s water treatment plant. Major supermarkets remained closed. The highway through the town had not yet been fully reopened, and McNamara could not begin to estimate how many homes had been damaged. The town’s Little League stadium and new skate park were destroyed, and many businesses were damaged.
“Thankfully we made it out alive,” McNamara said. “Ludlow will be fine. People are coming together and caring for each other.”
Colleen Dooley returned to her Ludlow apartment complex on Tuesday to find the grounds covered in silt and mud and the pool filled with murky river water.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back, but it’s definitely going to take a while,” said Dooley, a former teacher.
President Joe Biden, who attended the annual NATO summit in Lithuania, declared a state of emergency in Vermont and authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance.
FEMA had dispatched a team to Vermont with emergency communications equipment and was ready to continue supplying shelters if requested by the state. Authorities were also monitoring floods in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire, according to regional spokesman Dennis Pinkham.
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Kathy McCormack of Concord, New Hampshire. Michael Hill of Albany, New York. Boston’s Marc Pratt, Michael Casey and Steve LeBlanc also contributed.
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