Vermont residents are grappling with the aftermath of a powerful storm that dumped as much as nine inches of rain on parts of the state, causing severe flooding. Thousands have lost their homes or businesses to the storm, and officials are warning residents to remain on alert as more rain is expected in the coming days.
The storm first struck New York State on Sunday, resulting in one death attributed to fast-moving floodwaters. The system then headed north into New England, causing severe flooding and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate their homes in Vermont. At least two of Vermont’s major rivers surpassed levels they had reached during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.
The flooding shut down major roads and state highways, and city officials in Montpelier issued an emergency order on Tuesday, temporarily closing the flooded downtown area. Governor Phil Scott described the flooding as “historic and catastrophic” and said on Tuesday that thousands of residents had lost their homes, businesses, and more.
As of Wednesday morning, Vermont officials said that no injuries or deaths had been reported, but they cautioned that rescues were still ongoing. More than 200 rescues have been carried out, and teams have used boats and helicopters to pull people from flooded homes and cars.
One of the biggest worries this week was whether the Wrightsville Dam, just north of downtown Montpelier, would exceed its capacity. By Tuesday afternoon, city officials said that the water was only a foot below the dam’s auxiliary spillway but that the rate at which the water was rising had slowed. The water began to drop through the night, though Governor Scott said on Wednesday that officials would keep a close eye on the dam over the next several days.
The full extent of the damage is not yet known. Officials said Wednesday that they had begun compiling reports of damage and destroyed infrastructure. However, with some areas in Vermont still hard to reach and the damage spread over a large area, officials said they would need time before they could give a full account of the toll on homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.
According to the National Weather Service, while Wednesday is forecast to be generally sunny across Vermont, showers and thunderstorms are possible on Thursday, along with a slight risk of excessive rain — described as “a few additional inches” — across much of Vermont, New Hampshire, and eastern New York. Governor Scott warned on Wednesday that, though the sun was shining and the water in some areas was receding, the episode was not over, and with more rain in the forecast, waters could rise again.
Also read: Flash Flooding in New York: Is Climate Change to Blame?