What do you know? School was worth it.
Also see: MSM Monitor Under a Cloud and Ready to Burst
Let's hop those dams hold, huh?
"Northeast on alert for potential damage from winds, flooding" by Associated Press | March 30, 2010
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The latest round of heavy rain flooded roads and basements across the Northeast yesterday and was expected to set a rainfall record in New York City, but some officials were more focused on potential damage from accompanying winds.
During a soaking windstorm earlier this month, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers lost power, many for several days, when strong winds loosened trees from already saturated ground and tossed them onto power lines. Others saw their homes badly damaged when trees fell on their roofs.
Forecasters said New York City was within 3 inches of the March record of 10.54 inches set in 1983 and was expected to pass that mark.
“Our ground is so wet it’s like pouring water into an already saturated sponge,’’ said Tony Sutton, commissioner of Emergency Services for Westchester County, N.Y., north of the city....
Same around here.
"As waters rise, state gets federal aid; Patrick again declares emergency; Guardsmen on flood alert" by David Abel, Globe Staff | March 30, 2010
The third heavy storm of this month’s massive rains prompted Governor Deval Patrick to declare a state of emergency yesterday for the second time in March and activate National Guard units to stem the damage of more flooding in the waterlogged state.
The governor acted as President Obama responded yesterday to Patrick’s request last week for aid by declaring the state a federal disaster area, opening the door for funding to flow into Massachusetts....
Almost 3 1/2 inches of rain fell yesterday, and another 3 1/3 inches are expected before the storm tapers off tomorrow.
Patrick said the federal government will offer grants to homeowners affected by flooding to make their homes habitable again. This includes things like new water heaters and furnaces for flooded-out basements. Business owners affected can also apply for low-interest loans.
What, no bailout?
Oh, yeah, those are only for banks.
“I am thankful to President Obama for recognizing the havoc the storm and flooding has inflicted on communities across the Commonwealth,’’ Patrick said in a statement. “Now that our request for a disaster declaration has been granted, critical federal aid can reach the individuals, families, and businesses that need it the most.’’
In an afternoon press conference, Patrick said 700 National Guardsmen would be deployed by daybreak, with the potential for up to 1,000 if needed, to assist with relief efforts. He did not call for any specific evacuations, but warned residents of flood zones to “closely monitor the storm’’ and prepare for the possibility of swift evacuation.
“These are very dangerous conditions, and they will be during the rainstorm and after the rain stops,’’ he said at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency’s headquarters in Framingham. Patrick said all rivers in the state are in danger of flooding....
White House officials announced yesterday that the president also declared a major disaster in Rhode Island....
I'll get to them in a moment.
"Wading through the crisis; Hundreds routed but few injuries; Rising river levels still on flood watch" by David Abel, Globe Staff | March 31, 2010
As relentless rain pelted the region yet again yesterday, hundreds of people were evacuated from inundated homes, authorities closed numerous water-clogged roads, and officials managing an overwhelmed drainage system narrowly avoided releasing sewage into Boston Harbor.
The record-breaking storm, which pushed streams and rivers past their banks, prompted Governor Deval Patrick to deploy 1,000 National Guardsmen statewide to deliver thousands of sandbags in an effort to stem the surge.
“We’ve had two 50-year storms in the course of two to three weeks,’’ Patrick told reporters at the state highway barn in Lexington, where Massachusetts National Guard members filled sandbags. “This is unheard of. This is . . . a little bit more dangerous due to the saturation from the previous storm. This could cause floodwaters to rise very, very fast.’’
And we have NOT EVEN HIT APRIL YET!
By the time the storm ends this morning, 3 to 6 inches of rain will have fallen in the Boston area, with 6 to 8 inches in portions of Southeastern Massachusetts, said Kim Buttrick, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Taunton.
Boston has received more than 14 inches of rain this month, the city’s rainiest March on record. The previous high was 11 inches, a mark set in 1953....
Officials at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority said yesterday that they had been closely monitoring the state’s sewer systems, which approached but stayed below maximum capacity. Officials breathed a sign of relief last night as they did not have to dump up to 10 million gallons of raw sewage into Boston Harbor as a way to prevent the backup of waste water into customers’ homes and stave off damage to the system....
Related: Backed Up in Boston
Catching Up With the Neighbors
Looks like you will need a rowboat, readers.--more--"
Related: In Fall River and Clinton, hopes sink as waters rise
Alert issued on scammers
Now, about Rhode Island:
"From watery basements to power loss, thousands affected; Hundreds forced out by flooding" by Travis Andersen, Globe Staff | March 31, 2010
CRANSTON, R.I. — Hundreds of Rhode Island residents were forced from their homes yesterday by a torrential rainstorm that the governor’s office called the worst in the state in at least a century.
Officials were asking residents to take several precautions last night, according to Amy Kempe, a spokeswoman for Governor Donald L. Carcieri. Kempe said residents were urged to stay off the roads if possible, call local fire departments if their homes began to flood, and comply with local evacuation orders, among other measures.
“This is a storm of historic proportions,’’ Kempe said. “We haven’t seen this much rain and flooding in well over 100 years and perhaps in 500 years.’’
The National Weather Service said that 15.39 inches of rain has fallen in Providence in March, setting a new one-month record. Kempe said the state was under a federal declaration of disaster, meaning officials can apply for relief from Washington soon after the storm ends....
The heavy rains have also knocked out power in a number of areas in the state. David Graves, a spokesman for National Grid, said that between 12,000 and 14,000 customers were without power, most of them in Cranston and Westerly.
The utility hoped to have most of the power restored in Cranston by about 8:30 last night. But Graves said the power outages in Westerly could last two or three days.
David Gifford, director of the Rhode Island State Department of Health, said homes in Warwick and West Warwick could see sewage backup because the pumps at the wastewater treatment plants in those cities were over capacity. Officials were monitoring the problem throughout the state....
Anything but that!
"Floods drain into swelling rivers; Rain ends but worries persist, especially in R.I." by David Abel, Globe Staff | April 1, 2010
Residents throughout New England watched warily yesterday as the remnants of this week’s overwhelming storm flooded vital roads, rail lines, and hundreds of homes.
National Guard troops in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut loaded more sandbags and helped evacuate the stranded. Stretches of Interstate 95 were closed and Amtrak suspended some trains as tracks were inundated.
Yeah, this is bad.
In Massachusetts, the deluge made a vital bridge in Freetown impassable, isolating about 1,000 residents. In Rhode Island, which got the brunt of the storm, residents experienced the worst flooding in more than 100 years. Dams burst in Maine, roads were steeped in large puddles in New Hampshire, and residents were evacuated from coastal areas in Connecticut.
Yeah, it is ALL OVER the REGION!
Lot of puddles and raging rivers here but okay so far.
“The rain has stopped, but this event isn’t over by a long shot,’’ said Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. “More and more rivers are rising. It may not be until the beginning of next week when they return to below-flood levels. They have a way to go.’’
Neither he nor officials in other states could estimate the damage as a result of the third serious storm to hit the region in recent weeks. Boston had the rainiest March on record, and the city’s second-rainiest month ever, or about 2 inches less than the 17 inches that fell in August 1955....
In addition, the Internal Revenue Service announced yesterday that taxpayers in Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester counties would have until May 11 to file their 2009 individual income tax returns....
How about giving them a waiver on them instead if you really want to help?
In Rhode Island, officials advised the state’s 1 million residents to conserve water and electricity because of flooded sewage systems and electrical substations. They also told private well owners to boil their water before brushing their teeth, drinking, or cooking....
Oh, man, what a mess.
Governor Donald L. Carcieri called the flooding “unprecedented in our state’s history,’’ and Obama issued an emergency declaration ordering federal aid for relief and authorizing FEMA to coordinate efforts in Rhode Island....
In New Hampshire, state officials monitored nine rivers for potential flooding and said about 50 local roads and six state roads remained closed yesterday....
Officials from Maine said they also escaped major damage....
Officials from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority said they were lucky to have avoided releasing more raw sewage into Boston Harbor, which they did during a previous storm in March....
Okay, back home again:
In Fall River, Thomas Lowney and his family spent their morning bailing sewage out of the ground floor of their raised ranch on Mount Hope Avenue, much of which was in shambles as water from an overloaded pipe underground destroyed the asphalt.
The Lowneys do not have flood insurance, because they live up a steep hill from the nearest body of water and never thought they would need it. But just before 3 a.m., their sewage system backed up, flooding their home.
“It’s not going good for us,’’ Lowney said as he surveyed the damage. “Within five minutes, we had over 500 gallons coming in. And not water — sewage.’’
The house is destroyed.
"Soggy and stranded, Freetown residents regroup" by Brian R. Ballou, Globe Staff | April 1, 2010
FREETOWN — In many neighborhoods here, Mother Nature has had her way, as record rainfall poured from high to low ground and disrupted lives. On Tuesday night, 85 schoolchildren suddenly found themselves in a makeshift shelter after the flooding made it impossible for buses to drop them off. School was canceled yesterday and today. Dozens of road closures have caused a logistical nightmare.
The devastation has elicited a massive response. A caravan of military vehicles rolled through town yesterday morning, with National Guard units stacking sandbags wherever needed. Excavators lifted huge boulders onto the side of the crippled bridge on Narrows Road, in an effort to strengthen what was left....
Clean drinking water will be a priority in the coming days, as many private wells and septic systems have been compromised. Heating systems have been ruined, and some residents are without power. The evacuation of dozens of residents remains a possibility across town, Jean Fox, a member of Board of Selectmen in this southeastern Massachusetts town, said.
State officials are eyeing the situation near the Forge Pond Dam, which threatened to give way a month ago under immense pressure during a previous rainstorm. A bridge about 20 yards downriver was heavily damaged Tuesday night as the Forge Pond swelled. The dam had been partially breached after the crisis last month, and when this crisis subsides, it will take about a week for contractors to destroy the 200-year-old structure, according to Ian Bowles, the state’s secretary of energy and environmental affairs.
“This bridge has obviously given way, and that’s a big concern because it’s going to take some restoration,’’ Bowles said yesterday, standing near the pond. He said Department of Conservation and Recreation engineers will continue to monitor the dam throughout the week.
Across town, aboard the rescue vehicle, passenger Leoba
“He told me it was bad, that the bridge is washed out, and there was no way to get in or out,’’ she said. “He told me there was no point of coming home because I wouldn’t get through. I stayed with my grandmother in Attleboro overnight, and this morning went straight to work. This has been one huge headache.’’
Keith Duhamel, director of adult services at the Crystal Springs School, a learning center for children and adults with developmental disabilities, said 11 students were stuck at the school Tuesday afternoon and evening because of the bridge collapse on Narrows Road. “And three of them have critical medical issues, which made the situation urgent. Thankfully, the State Police were able to get them back to the other side last evening.’’
--more--"
See you on the other side, readers.
Update: Obama stops for flood briefing in Framingham
And what was the carbon footprint on that unnecessary trip?
