Vermont flooded after Irene's torrential rains

[scandal 951]

I feel bad for Vermonters. They need to put up with the havoc of Irene, smashed bridges, washed out roads and flooded homes and businesses.

And they need to put up with residents in their own state who make light of the disaster.

UPDATE 1-Vermont flooded after Irene's torrential rains

Mon Aug 29, 2011 10:52am EDT

* Governor closes state offices, says stay off the roads

* Historic covered bridges wiped out

* More flooding possible as rivers have not crested (Adds details of problems, governor's comments, quotes; previous Boston)

By Scott Malone

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. Aug 29 (Reuters) - Vermont residents battled epic flooding on Monday after the remnants of Hurricane Irene set off the state's worst deluge in more than 80 years, washing out roads, knocking out power and forcing hundreds into shelters.

At least one person was killed after being swept into a swollen river in the mountainous, land-locked New England state, which rarely sees tropical storms. [iD:nN1E77S01P]

Hurricane Irene had been reduced to tropical storm status by the time it reached Vermont but it still dumped 7 inches of rain that flooded homes and businesses. Floodwaters gushed through downtown Brattleboro, an artsy community of 12,000 along the Connecticut River.

Several of the state's historic covered bridges were washed away as Irene's rains sent rivers spilling over their banks in what officials called catastrophic flooding and the worst natural disaster since 1927.

While the sun was out on Monday, officials worried that more damage could still be done. "The bigger rivers haven't crested yet because the smaller brooks feed into them," Governor Peter Shumlin said in a radio interview with Democracy Now, a daily TV/radio news program. "It means more flooding. We continue to be challenged here."

Several people had to be rescued from floodwaters and some 50,000 people are without power. Some patients at the Vermont State Hospital had to be moved within the grounds and 80 people from a nearby nursing home were evacuated to Rutland Regional Medical Center, a spokesman said. The governor and others were surveying the vast damage by helicopter, officials said.

In Woodstock, called America's prettiest small town by Ladies Home Journal, a water main break left the town without water coming from faucets and toilets but with plenty gushing through the streets, including through the bottom of the Woodstock Inn. The Simon Pearce glass blowing studio in Quechee, which draws power from the Ottaquechee River, was flooded and the historic bridge leading to the studio, store and restaurant was teetering, a staff member said.

"It is complete mayhem up here," a spokesman at the Woodstock police department said.

State offices, businesses and many schools were closed on Monday as officials urged Vermont residents to stay indoors and off the roads as emergency crews approach the worst hit areas in Rutland and Addison counties in the south and middle of the state.

Weather reporters said the flooding was the worst in Vermont since 1973 and perhaps since 1927.

Hurricane Irene chugged up the eastern seaboard Saturday and Sunday, starting in North Carolina, and appears to have inflicted the greatest damage farther inland with heavy rains in western Massachusetts and Vermont.

Overnight every road in Vermont -- except interstate highways Routes 89 and 91 -- was closed at one one point due to flooding, Robert Stirewalt, a spokesman for the Vermont Emergency Management Agency said on Monday.

"Things are bad throughout the state and we are just starting the recovery process in the light of day," he said. "It is too early to say what the damage will be as we assess it and we hope it won't be more extensive than last night indicated."

On Sunday and overnight nine Red Cross shelters and 27 community shelters opened their doors to aid the state's roughly 625,000 citizens and by Monday officials said they were filling up fast with people whose homes were waterlogged.

Known for its many rivers and creeks, Vermont had swift water rescue teams ready to move and every single emergency worker in the small state was called up to help, officials said.

But even some of the helpers encountered terrifying conditions and had to turn back on some occasions, officials said. The state Emergency Management Office in Waterbury was forced out to evacuate its building overnight and move in with a the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a nearby building.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No problem. They have the most liberal gun laws in that state. They'll be fine just as long as the government stays out.

[lostinblue 1,989]

I have some friends who live along the Mohawk river in NY State.Part of their town is flooded and many bridges are not being used for the moment.They are way above the river and have no problems.This event is why people need to prepare .A hurricane bothering Vermont ...Who would have thought.I have not heard of any looting from this storm .

[Pooky 3,807]

I have some friends who live along the Mohawk river in NY State.Part of their town is flooded and many bridges are not being used for the moment.They are way above the river and have no problems.This event is why people need to prepare .A hurricane bothering Vermont ...Who would have thought.I have not heard of any looting from this storm .

Eaten here

Jumpin' Jacks, Scotia, NY

[웃 910]

Gov. of VT on climate change:

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

The melting snow causes more problems. It will be fixed by week's end. Too bad eh?

Gov. of VT on climate change:

Shumlin has implemented firearms training in Vermont schools. You are with him on that, right?

I would think that GWWs would be HAPPY that Hurricane Irene was not so destructive. Why aren't you?

I have not heard of any looting from this storm .

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The melting snow causes more problems. It will be fixed by week's end. Too bad eh?

Yep, by week's end this is gonna be fixed. Just as long as the government doesn't do anything, all will be well.

[sly_wolf 199]

Maine got it worse eh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LiB2ojZRO8

[웃 910]

The melting snow causes more problems. It will be fixed by week's end. Too bad eh?

Shumlin has implemented firearms training in Vermont schools. You are with him on that, right?

I would think that GWWs would be HAPPY that Hurricane Irene was not so destructive. Why aren't you?

According to the article (which you obviously didn't read) this was the worst flooding catastrophe / natural disaster in Vermont in 85 years.

"Overnight every road in Vermont -- except interstate highways Routes 89 and 91 -- was closed at one one point due to flooding"

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

According to the article (which you obviously didn't read) this was the worst flooding catastrophe / natural disaster in Vermont in 85 years.

"Overnight every road in Vermont -- except interstate highways Routes 89 and 91 -- was closed at one one point due to flooding"

You are right. Of course it is horrible. Send money. I heard that they are stopping payment on some of the money to the tornado victims in Joplin and sending it to Vermont. Good news.

Worst in 85 years? So it was worse 85 years ago? Before global warming? Imagine that.

It was a bad weather event. A rainy windy day. We have them from time to time in Vermont. The intervale in Burlington is under water for the third time...this year!(I bet other people have bad weather also) I have some 12 comstruction projects under way all over the state and none were affected. Not even delayed a day. It simply was not widespread destruction and little more than isolated nuisances. Of hundereds of towns, exactly 12 of them have had a disruption of services due to washed out roads. Even the road pictured above has...guess what!...a DETOUR that will add a few minutes travel time for a few people for a couple weeks. HORROR!!!!!!!!! And it will not be fixed by the FEDERAL government.

Seriously, GWWs need to get a grip.

For those that were hoping for devastation...sorry. You will not see any FEMA trailers here being occupied for years. No looting. By far, most of the residents have had no affect on their lives. Business as usual almost everywhere.

Thanks for your concern, but we can handle it. Really. Funny how the one with confidence in the people of the state, the one that lives here and is not too upset by it, is the one that is considered to be uncaring, while the ones that WISH and HOPE and PRAY for destruction would be considered compassionate?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

According to the article (which you obviously didn't read) this was the worst flooding catastrophe / natural disaster in Vermont in 85 years.

"Overnight every road in Vermont -- except interstate highways Routes 89 and 91 -- was closed at one one point due to flooding"

Overnight on a Sunday night every road was closed at "one point" meaning what? A few minutes time when no one is driving there?

See what I mean about hype? On March 7, 2011 every road, including the interstates, was closed for some period by 30" of snow that fell that day during a Monday morning rush hour. It cost more to clean up that snow, on every road statewide, than it will cost to fix this damage. So what? Why didn't you post about that? Seriously, get a grip. People in Vermont are fine, but thanks for your sincere concern.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Here's a picture my sister took of a bridge near her house. She lives up near Newfane, VT.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Overnight on a Sunday night every road was closed at "one point" meaning what? A few minutes time when no one is driving there?

See what I mean about hype? On March 7, 2011 every road, including the interstates, was closed for some period by 30" of snow that fell that day during a Monday morning rush hour. It cost more to clean up that snow, on every road statewide, than it will cost to fix this damage. So what? Why didn't you post about that? Seriously, get a grip. People in Vermont are fine, but thanks for your sincere concern.

You're way off, I'm afraid. How many homes were lost during the snowstorm you mention? Or the spring flooding this year? How many roads and bridges were washed away? Hundreds? Does it cost more to remove snow from a roadway than it costs to build it? There hasn't been flooding as severe in 85 fcuking years in Vermont. It's not a BAU event.

"I've never seen flooding like this, especially this widespread," said Capt. Ray Keefe of the Vermont State Police, who described the flooding as "epic."

"We've lost a lot of homes; hundreds of roads, bridges have been washed away," Keefe said. "This has been a real tough one."

And late Sunday, it looked as if it might get tougher. Green Mountain Power warned it might have to release extra water from Marshfield Reservoir to save the dam, which would flood Montpelier again, the Associated Press reported.

Here's a picture my sister took of a bridge near her house. She lives up near Newfane, VT.

Don't worry. It'll be fixed by the end of the week. This one and hundreds more that have met a similar fate. And it'll cost less to fix them than it would cost to push a few inches of snow off of them. Just ask Gary. All is well in Vermont.

Edited August 30, 2011 by Mr. Big Dog

[웃 910]

You are right.

I agree.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

And it will not be fixed by the FEDERAL government.

Like the damage from the floods earlier this year got fixed w/o help from the feds?

Vermont to get federal disaster aid

Obama signs emergency declaration for Vermont, clearing way for federal assistance

You better tell your state officials that people in Vermont don't need the stinkin' feds to clean up a few roads.