LEOMINSTER, Mass. (AP) — The storm is on track to make landfall later in the week. Meanwhile, the New England region continues to deal with the aftermath of a series of violent weather events that included torrential downpours, flooding and sinkholes.
National Hurricane Center issued a Hurricane watch Wednesday night, extending from Stonington Maine up to the U.S. – Canadian border. Hurricane conditions as well as heavy rainfall, coastal flooding, and hurricane winds are expected Friday night and on Saturday.
The tropical storm watch covers areas between Watch Hill in Rhode Island and Stonington in Maine. This includes Block Island Martha’s Vineyard Nantucket. Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket have also received a storm-surge watch due to potential life-threatening flash flooding on late Friday or early Saturday.
As the storm approached, it threatened to unleash even more severe weather on the region. Earlier in the week the area had received 10 inches of rain in six hours. And on Wednesday Massachusetts and Rhode Island experienced tornado warnings along with heavy rain which caused sinkholes in some areas and led to devastating flooding.
National Weather Service Boston confirmed that video and radar showed that trees and electrical lines were likely damaged by a twister in Rhode Island or Connecticut Wednesday. At least one roof in Lincoln, Rhode Island was damaged by the storm and the press box of the high school’s stadium leaped into the seats.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee stated on social media the emergency operation center had been activated by the state and that it would monitor rapidly-changing weather over the next couple of weeks.
McKee: “The best you can now do is keep up with frequent updates.”
Sean Pope was watching the forecast in North Attleborough (Massachusetts), which experienced heavy flooding on Monday evening, with trepidation. He watched with unease as heavy rains turned his pool into a swamp and filled the basement of his home by 3 feet.
“I hope and am waiting, watching the forecast. Looking for places where it might rain or where breaks are possible is what I do,” said he. “We must make sure that all the pumps are functioning.”
Massachusetts Gov. Maura healey announced a “state of emergency” following “catastrophic floods in 2 counties, and extensive property damage”. Matthew Belk said the torrential downpour that took place in Boston earlier this week, lasting six hours, was “a 200-year event.”
Healey told reporters on Wednesday the emergency management agency of the state is keeping an eye on the weather, and that it is prepared to help. She noted that state officials are monitoring the status of dams. Residents should take warnings about flooding seriously, and stay off roads when directed.
Leominster is a Massachusetts town where the rain has created sinkholes. At one dealership in Leominster several cars have been swallowed by the hole. A parking lot in Providence, Rhode Island was flooded by torrential rains. Parts of the shopping center were also affected. Over two dozen stranded people in vehicles were saved by firefighters with inflatable boats.
Leominster was drenched again in the afternoon of Wednesday, after having a sunny day. There was a flash flooding warning for some parts of Massachusetts. The heavy rains began earlier that day in Danbury (Connecticut), where authorities had to free several vehicles from floodwaters.
Flooding earlier in this week was not caused by rains from hurricane Lee. However, the forecasters have said that Hurricane Lee is heading northward and may land in Nova Scotia Canada.
“The earth is saturated. Leominster’s Mayor Dean Mazzarella announced at a media conference held on Wednesday that the ground could not take any more.
Mazarella confirmed that 300 to 400 people have been evacuated from the city as of Tuesday morning. It hasn’t experienced this level of damage since the 1936 hurricane. Many buildings in the downtown area were submerged and others collapsed.
The early estimate for the city’s infrastructure restoration project could be between $25 to $40 millions.
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