- Flash floods claim a woman’s life and prompt boat rescues in the US Northeast
- More than 13 million Americans under flood watches and warnings
- Vermont reservoir threatens dam and exacerbates “catastrophic” flooding
In the US Northeast, torrential downpours triggered flash floods that washed out roads, overwhelmed rivers, necessitated 50 rapid boat rescues, and killed a woman who was swept away in front of her fiance, according to officials.
More than 13 million Americans were under flood watches and warnings from eastern New York state to Boston and western Maine in the northeast, according to the National Weather Service’s Monday forecast, after weekend storms flooded rivers and streams.
In the meantime, a Vermont reservoir threatened to overwhelm a dam protecting the state capital on Tuesday, exacerbating “catastrophic” flooding that has already shut down roads leading out of the city and confined some residents in their homes.
Private weather forecaster AccuWeather assessed damages and economic loss at $3 billion to $5 billion based on its evaluation methodology.
Rain delayed or cancelled almost 1,000 regional flights on Monday, including LaGuardia and Logan.
Amtrak and the Metro-North commuter railway, which shares a portion of the same route, suspended passenger train service between the state capital of Albany and New York City due to damage caused by flooding.
New York and Vermont were the states most severely affected.
Officials in Vermont described the inundation as the worst since Tropical Storm Irene struck the state in 2011.
At a news conference, Vermont Governor Phil Scott stated, “All hands are on deck.”
Seven to eight inches of rain had already fallen in parts of Vermont, transforming streets into raging torrents.
Mark Bosma, spokesman for Vermont Emergency Management, stated on WCAX television that roughly fifty persons were rescued by speedboat. Officials anticipated that rivers would flood overnight, posing a threat to communities such as Montpelier, the capital of Vermont.
“We want people to be hypervigilant and monitor the weather. And we don’t want them to wait too long to seek higher ground,” Bosma said.
According to Andover town clerk Jeanette Haight, swiftboat personnel rescued approximately 12 campers.
“A bridge washed away, and that was the only way in or out,” she explained. “A swift-boat rescue was organized in response to a 4 a.m. call for aid.” Everyone is in good health this morning.
Stormville, 50 miles northeast of New York City, had over eight inches of rain from Sunday to Monday.
On Sunday, a woman and her dog in Orange County, New York, were washed away by floodwaters.
“Her fiance saw her being swept away,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said at a press conference in Highland Falls.
Much of the flooding in New York occurred along the Hudson River north of New York City, including the hamlet of West Point in Orange County, home to the United States Military Academy.
Sunday and early Monday morning, social media images and videos depicted washed-out roads and violent floodwaters reaching homes.
“Oh, my God. Melissa Roberts said in a video showing floodwaters rushing past her and several vehicles and up to residences in Orange County that “it’s up to my knees.”
More precipitation is predicted,
The National Weather Service reported that additional rainfall threatens to cause additional flooding in Vermont, the northeastern corner of New York state, and portions of Connecticut and Massachusetts.
On Tuesday, light to moderate showers were predicted to progressively diminish throughout the day.
Rain showers and thunderstorms are forecast daily this week, with an additional half-inch of precipitation projected.
The Winooski is one of three significant Vermont rivers that crested at or near record levels on Tuesday morning, according to Weather Service forecaster Marlon Verasamy.
He reported a 21-foot Lamoille River near Johnson, central Vermont, five feet over flood stage.
