Vermont overwhelmed by ‘catastrophic’ flooding as Northeast braces for more rain
Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on July 11, 2023
(NEW YORK) — President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in Vermont, where torrential rainfall triggered “historic and catastrophic” flooding, Gov. Phil Scott said.
Some areas recorded 9 inches of rain as small creeks turned into raging rivers in the worst flooding to hit Vermont since Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.
More than 100 people have been rescued across Vermont so far, officials said Tuesday morning.
No injuries or deaths have been reported, Scott said.
More rescuers are heading to the impacted areas, including teams from Connecticut, Massachusetts and North Carolina, for what officials called a dayslong or weekslong operation. Helicopters from the Vermont and New Hampshire National Guards are also helping with evacuations, officials said.
The threat is ongoing, the governor warned Tuesday, because floodwaters are continuing to rise and more rain is headed to the state to soak the already saturated grounds.
In Vermont’s capital, Montpelier, the Winooski River crested at 21.02 feet, the highest level since 1927.
Montpelier extended its downtown travel ban until 3 p.m. ET Tuesday after the water receded more slowly than initially projected.
“We know that business owners will be anxious to check out their stores but we urge patience,” Montpelier City Manager William Fraser said Monday night.
Scott said he even had to hike to the emergency response center Tuesday morning because the roads around his house “were completely impassable.”
The emergency in Vermont came as heavy rainfall drenched the Northeast from upstate New York to western Maine.
The extreme weather began on Sunday, affecting much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, prompting flash flood alerts in parts of New York. One person was killed in the floodwaters in upstate New York.
The system pushed north on Monday, with the heaviest rainfall hitting Vermont.
The Northeast is expected to get a break from the downpours on Tuesday and Wednesday, but more heavy rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for the region Thursday, including in New York and Vermont. Another 2 to 4 inches of rainfall is possible.
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio, Peter Charalambous, Alexandra Faul, Matt Foster, Max Golembo and Dan Peck contributed to this report.
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