Overnight, from July 10 to July 11, heavy rains pummeled New England, causing massive flooding and sending search-and-rescue teams sprinting to reach stranded residents and communities.
A Vermont reservoir threatened to overflow a dam protecting the state’s capital and exacerbate “catastrophic” flooding that has already closed roads leading out of the city and confined residents to their homes.
The Wrightsville Dam, which forms a reservoir four miles north of Montpelier, was nearing capacity and nearing the point at which a spillway would discharge water into the North Branch of the Winooski River, according to city officials.
That would exacerbate what the National Weather Service has termed “catastrophic” flooding in the picturesque downtown district of Montpelier, where people navigated the submerged streets in canoes and floodwaters reached the windows of businesses and the roofs of vehicles.
Near the Vermont statehouse, the North Branch converges with a second, broader branch of the Winooski. The National Weather Service forecasted that downtown inundation would persist until late afternoon.
A majority of the Northeastern United States, including sections of New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, has already received heavy rain—up to 8 inches—over the past few days.
Officials in Vermont described the inundation as the worst since Hurricane Irene hit the New England state in 2011 and caused seven fatalities and approximately $750 million in damages.
State Response
In a July 11 statement, Gov. Phil Scott and state officials provided an update on the state’s response to flooding.“Make no mistake, the devastation and flooding we’re experiencing across Vermont is historic and catastrophic,” Mr. Scott said. “Although the comings days, weeks, and months will be incredibly difficult, we’ve faced challenges before, and Vermonters have risen to meet the moment.
“Whether during Irene, COVID, or other hardships, Vermonters have proven time and time again we’re willing and able to step up and help our neighbors. Even though the sun may shine later today and tomorrow, we expect more rain later this week, which will have nowhere to go in the over-saturated ground.
“So I want to be clear, we are not out of the woods. This is nowhere near over, and at this phase, our primary focus continues to be on life and safety before we can shift into a recovery phase.”
“A special thanks to the road crews and all emergency workers who are working around the clock to protect lives and property,” Mr. Sanders said.
“They are doing a great job under extremely difficult circumstances. I also want to thank the crews who are on their way from around our region and as far away as North Carolina. I also appreciate the Vermont National Guard as well as National Guards from our neighboring states who stand at the ready to assist us if needed.”
“Never attempt to walk or drive through flood waters, and familiarize yourself with your best flood evacuation routes,” he wrote.
Emergency Response
President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for each of the state’s 14 counties early on July 11, dispatching emergency workers to the evacuated area as flooding overtook the area.The president’s action allows the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to ease the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act.
In particular, FEMA has the power to find, organize, and provide, at its own discretion, the tools and resources that are needed to help people deal with the situation. Seventy-five percent of the money for emergency safety measures will come from the federal government. These measures will be limited to direct federal help and repayment for mass care, such as helping people evacuate and find housing.
William F. Roy of FEMA has been put in charge of coordinating Federal recovery efforts in the places that were hit.
