(Andover) The storm that dumped up to two months of rain in Vermont and other parts of the northeastern United States in two days caused further flooding on Tuesday in localities isolated by water, including in the state capital, where a dam just upstream threatened to overflow.
The floods have already caused tens of millions of dollars of damage, authorities say, with more to come: if the water breaks through the Winooski River dam that runs through Montpelier, it could surge through downtown streets. city where floods are already waist high.
A woman has been swept away in New York City. There were no flood-related injuries or deaths in Vermont, where swiftwater rescue teams aided by National Guard helicopters performed more than 100 rescues, the Department of Disaster Management said Tuesday. Vermont ER.
Dozens of roads have been closed, especially along the backbone of the Green Mountains. The National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings and advisories for much of the state, from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border.
The Burlington National Weather Service warned that more rain was forecast for Thursday.
Shelters were set up in churches and town halls, but at least one shelter had to be closed due to worsening flooding. Delivering food and water to over 200 people at another shelter in Barre was a real challenge.
“We are trying to find ways to get food to them,” said John Montes, the American Red Cross regional manager for northern New England. It is a little difficult because of the conditions. »
The slow-moving storm reached New England after hitting parts of New York state and Connecticut on Sunday. Some communities received between 18 centimeters and 23 centimeters of rain overnight Monday through Tuesday.
The Connecticut River, swollen from heavy rains in Vermont, is expected to exceed flood stage Wednesday in Hartford and southern cities, causing minor to moderate flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
President Joe Biden, who is attending the annual NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, has declared an emergency in Vermont and authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts and provide assistance.
The White House will continue to monitor the effects of the flooding, spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press conference on Tuesday, urging residents of affected areas to “exercise caution and follow protocols for security “.
Montpelier’s capitol sits on higher ground, but the rest of the city center has been submerged.
Montpelier City Manager Bill Fraser has warned that the Wrightsville Dam, located several miles north on the North Fork of the Winooski River, could exceed its capacity. This has never happened before.
“A large amount of water would arrive in Montpelier, which would significantly aggravate the damage caused by the floods,” he warned, adding that there were very few evacuation options left. People in high-risk areas might want to go to the upper floors of their homes. »
The city has requested that swift water rescue teams be sent to the area to assist where possible. Teams from North Carolina, Michigan and Connecticut have notably helped reach towns in Vermont that have been inaccessible since torrents of rain began to batter the state.
Many rescue teams have been positioned in Montpelier, where dispatch, police and fire operations have been moved to a water treatment plant after heavy flooding at City Hall and police and fire departments. firefighters. In addition, the radio towers they use for emergency calls are not functional, police chief Eric Nordenson said.
“We haven’t seen such rainfall since Irene said Vermont Governor Phil Scott in reference to the August 2011 tropical storm. kilometers of highway.
What is different is thatIrene only lasted about 24 hours, Scott said.
“This situation continues. We get as much rain, if not more. It lasts for days. That’s what worries me. It’s not just about the first damage. It’s the wave, the second wave and the third wave,” he said.
One of the hardest-hit places was New York’s Hudson Valley, where a woman identified by police as 43-year-old Pamela Nugent died as she tried to flee her flooded home with her dog in the hamlet of Fort Montgomery.
The United States Military Academy at West Point was hit by more than 20 centimeters of rain that slid debris down some roads and washed away others.
Atmospheric scientists say destructive flooding is caused by storms forming in a warmer atmosphere, making extreme rainfall a reality. The additional warming predicted by scientists will only worsen the situation.
The storm also disrupted travel, with hundreds of flight cancellations in the New York area and at airports in Boston. Rail carrier Amtrak has temporarily suspended service between Albany and New York.