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Governor calls on flood-weary Vermonters to ‘stick together’ with more thunderstorms on the horizon
LYNDON, Vt. (AP) — Vermont’s governor said Wednesday that the latest storm to the hit the state was “much worse than a punch or a kick,” and he called on residents to “stick together” amid reports that more bad weather is on its way.
Thunderstorms brought another round of heavy flooding Tuesday that caved in and washed away roads, crushed vehicles, pushed homes off their foundations and required at least two dozen boat rescues in northeastern Vermont. Some areas got more than 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain, which was more than some places had ever gotten in a single day.
More downpours were expected Wednesday, with flash-flooding possible in some already inundated areas, Jennifer Morrison, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Safety, said at a news conference Wednesday in Berlin, near Montpelier. A National Weather Service flood watch was in effect for central and northern Vermont from noon until midnight.
“This time, it’s especially bad after workers spent the past three weeks working furiously to recover from the last flooding,” Gov. Phil Scott said at the news conference. “It feels much worse than a punch or a kick. It’s simply demoralizing. We have to stick together and fight back against the feeling of defeat.”