2023-07-11 19:58:05
Rescue services are carrying out emergency evacuations of residents on Tuesday in Vermont, a state in the northeastern United States hit by “historic and catastrophic” flooding after torrential rains.
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Rescuers evacuated residents using inflatable boats and kayaks, according to US media images, including in the state capital, Montpelier, where the totally flooded city center was closed until mid -day Tuesday.
More than 100 people were rescued, authorities said.
“The devastation and flooding we are experiencing is historic and catastrophic,” state governor Phil Scott said at a press conference. He said flooding had “exceeded the levels of Tropical Storm Irene” which killed six people in the state in 2011.
United States President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency for Vermont, allowing federal aid to be released.
“The good news is that the rain has stopped in some areas, but that doesn’t mean the waters are going to recede immediately,” the governor continued.
“We expect more rains later in the week, which will have nowhere to go in the oversaturated ground,” he said.
In a Facebook post, the city of Montpelier warned that a dam was in danger of failing and water would spill into the North Branch River, with “considerable worsening of damage” to be feared.
Torrential rain, up to 8 inches in some places according to the National Weather Service, fell between Sunday and Monday across the northeastern United States, including in the New York area where flooding killed a woman who was trying to flee his home.
New York State Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul called on people to “come together to fight the ravages of climate change, because again, these are unprecedented phenomena that continue to hit us again and again. Again”.
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