Vermont flooding devastation captured in drone footage amid race to rescue dozens of stranded citizens - live

Some 117 rescues have been made in Vermont amid extreme flooding, public officials said on Tuesday, with 67 people evacuated from homes, businesses and vehicles and 17 animals rescued.

The city of Montpelier warned that a dam near the state capital is dangerously close to capacity. However, water levels appeared to stabilise by night.

“It looks like it won’t breach,” Montpelier town manager Bill Fraser said. “That is good. That is one less thing we have to have on our front burner.”

Officials had earlier warned that with “very few evacuation options remaining”, people in at-risk areas in the Montpelier area may wish to go to upper floors in their houses.

Other Northeast regions are beginning to survey what is expected to be a long and expensive recovery from the extreme downpours which NY Governor Kathy Hochul declared it a “1-in-1,000-year weather event” caused by the climate crisis.

One woman died in New York after she was swept away in floodwaters while trying to escape her home with her dog.

Key Points

• Travel disrupted as 13 million people in the US north-east under flood alert

• Biden declares emergency in Vermont

• Flash flooding expected across New England today

• One killed, 50 rescued so far as US northeast faces extreme downpour and flooding

• Governor says Vermont downpour 'worse than Irene'

Flood warning for Vermont set to expire but some rains to continue

12:45 , Stuti Mishra

The flood warning by the National Weather Service (NWS) for parts of Vermont is set to expire at 10.30am ET today, with no further flooding expected for central, northeast, northwest, and southern Vermont, including various counties.

The weather service said heavy rain had ended across the region. However, light rain may still persist. No new flooding is expected, but existing floodwaters may be slow to recede, the service warned.

Pictured: Traversing the floodwaters

12:02 , Graeme Massie

Watch: Are global floods getting worse?

11:03 , Graeme Massie

Vermont capital hit hard

10:06 , Graeme Massie

Downtown Montpelier, a city of 8,000, was swamped between the capitol building and the Winooski River. Montpelier Town Manager Bill Fraser warned on Tuesday that the Wrightsville Dam several miles to the north could exceed capacity for the first time.

“There would be a large amount of water coming into Montpelier which would drastically add to the existing flood damage,” he said, adding that there are very few evacuation options remaining. “People in at risk areas may wish to go to upper floors in their houses.”

Just before noon on Tuesday, Montpelier Police said waters had risen to within a foot of the top of the dam, and every foot of water that goes over the spillway would double the flow into the city.

Multiple rescue crews were positioned in Montpelier, where dispatch, police and fire operations were relocated to a water treatment plant after heavy flooding at City Hall and the police and fire departments. Also, the radio towers they use for emergency calls are not functional, Police Chief Eric Nordenson said.

Shelters were set up at churches and town halls, but at least one refuge had to close as flooding worsened. Delivering food and water to more than 200 people sheltering at the Barre Municipal Auditorium has been a challenge.

“We’re trying to find paths to get supplies in to them,” said John Montes, American Red Cross of Northern New England regional disaster officer.

The Associated Press

Watch: Devastating floods batter Vermont

09:30 , Graeme Massie

Watch: Drone footage shows Montepelier underwater as dam threatened

08:30 , Graeme Massie

Floodwaters begin receding in Vermont

07:21 , Stuti Mishra

Floodwaters receded in Vermont cities and towns pummelled by a storm that delivered two months of rain in two days, officials say, allowing the focus to be on recovery now.

In the capital city of Montpelier, where streets were flooded on Tuesday by the swollen Winooski River, officials said that water levels at a dam just upstream appeared to be stable.

“It looks like it won’t breach. That is good. That is one less thing we have to have on our front burner,” Montpelier town manager Bill Fraser said.

Mr Fraser said the dam remains a lingering concern but with the water receding the city was shifting to recovery mode.

Public works employees were expected to start removing mud and debris in the downtown on Wednesday and building inspections will start as businesses begin cleaning up their properties.

Biden calls Vermont governor from Europe

06:04 , Graeme Massie

President Biden called Vermont Governor Phil Scott on Tuesday from Europe where he was attending the annual NATO summit in Lithuania.

“Just got off the phone with [POTUS] Joe Biden, who offered his full support and that of the entire federal government as Vermont responds to historic flooding. I appreciate the President and his entire team for their support, hard work and close collaboration,” Governor Scott tweeted.

Vermont is one of a number of states and cities suing Big Oil over the climate crisis

05:07 , Graeme Massie

In September 2021, Vermont joined other states and cities in suing some of the country’s top fossil fuel companies by alleging they misled the public about the impact their products have on the climate crisis.

The state wants the companies to tell consumers that the use of fossil fuel products harms the environment, Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan said after the lawsuit was filed in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington.

The warnings could be similar to those noting the danger of tobacco products or food products that include nutritional and calorie information, he said.

Donovan, speaking outside the Chittenden County courthouse in downtown Burlington where the lawsuit was filed, said they are not trying to prevent the companies from selling their products in the state and that Vermonters will continue to be able to use fossil fuels.

“What we are saying is that Vermonters have the right to know,” Donovan said. “Give Vermonters accurate information. Put a label on the product and let Vermonters decide.”

The suit names ExxonMobil Corporation, Shell Oil Company, Sunoco LP, CITGO Petroleum Corporation and other corporations.

A spokesperson for ExxonMobil said at the time that the lawsuit was baseless and without merit and they look forward to defending the company in court.

“Legal proceedings like this waste millions of dollars of taxpayer money and do nothing to advance meaningful actions that reduce the risks of climate change,” he said. Citgo declined to comment on pending litigation. The other two companies did not respond to requests for comment.

The Associated Press

NWS Burlington gives historic rainfall totals

04:08 , Graeme Massie

“Without further ado, we have our final rainfall map for a historic two-day rainstorm. The greatest storm total was 9.2”, with many 6-9” amounts along and just east of the Green Mountains,” tweeted NWS Burlington.

Police say Wrightsville Dam levels are holding 1ft from spillway

03:08 , Graeme Massie

“We have monitored the water levels at the Wrightsville Dam for the last two hours and seen no significant changes,” MPD said on Tuesday afternoon.

“We have been in close contact with the onsite Vermont Dam Safety Representative who believes minimal increases can be expected. We will continue to monitor the dam throughout the night. Reminder that downtown is still an active emergency area and people should stay out until after the water recedes.Thank you all for your patience and cooperation.”

Governor has to hike to emergency centre on snowmobile trails

02:02 , Graeme Massie

“The roads around my house were completely impassable this morning. Grateful for the @VTVast snowmobile trail network, which I was able to hike through to get to an open road and on to our emergency response center,” Gov Phil Scott tweeted on Tuesday.

Montpelier Water System issues boil water notice

01:01 , Graeme Massie

“All Customers on Montpelier’s Water System, including those connected to the system in Berlin,” the agency stated on Tuesday.

“Due to extreme flooding in the City of Montpelier, there is a strong possibility that your drinking water supply may become contaminated on the way to the tap. This situation presents a significant health risk to users of the above-described of the Montpelier Water System. “

More images of Vermont flooding

Tuesday 11 July 2023 23:49 , Graeme Massie

Meanwhile in Florida...

Tuesday 11 July 2023 23:10 , Louise Boyle

Record global ocean heating has invaded Florida with a vengeance.

Water temperatures in the mid-90s (mid-30s Celsius) are threatening delicate coral reefs, depriving swimmers of cooling dips and adding a bit more ick to the Sunshine State’s already oppressive summer weather.

Forecasters are warning of temperatures that with humidity will feel like 110 degrees (43 degrees Celsius) by week’s end.

If that’s not enough, Florida is about to get a dose of dust from Africa’s Saharan desert that’s likely to hurt air quality.The Associated Press

Pictured: Surveying the damage

Tuesday 11 July 2023 21:52 , Louise Boyle

Pictured: Drone footage captures devastation in Vermont’s picturesque towns

Tuesday 11 July 2023 21:33 , Louise Boyle

Vermont flooding: Drone footage shows Montpelier underwater as dam threatened

Tuesday 11 July 2023 21:12 , Louise Boyle

President Biden declares state of emergency

Tuesday 11 July 2023 19:30 , Louise Boyle

President Joe Biden, who is in Vilnius, Lithuania, attending the annual NATO summit, declared an emergency exists in Vermont and authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance.

The White House will continue to monitor the effects of the flooding, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing Tuesday, urging people in affected areas “to please, please be safe, and follow safety protocols.”Associated Press

Dozens rescued in Vermont

Tuesday 11 July 2023 19:10 , Louise Boyle

Some 117 rescues have been made in Vermont amid extreme flooding, public officials said on Tuesday, with 67 people evacuated from homes, businesses and vehicles and 17 animals rescued.

Pictured: Vermont residents check on relatives amid extreme flooding

Tuesday 11 July 2023 18:50 , Louise Boyle

City of Montpelier has one of biggest floods on record

Tuesday 11 July 2023 18:28 , Louise Boyle

The city of Montpelier reported that the flooding is among the worst in its history.

“This has been the second highest recorded Winooski River level in history, behind only the historic 1927 flood,” the city government wrote on its Facebook page.

“This is higher than 1992 and both 2011 flood events.”

Watch: Heavy rainfall and dangerous flooding continue for third day in the Northeast

Tuesday 11 July 2023 18:10 , Louise Boyle

Tuesday 11 July 2023 17:50 , Louise Boyle

Railroad tracks have been left suspended 100 feet in the area after the extreme flooding in Vermont washed away extraordinary amounts of land beneath them. The Weather Channel shared the images from Ludlow, Vermont where eight inches of rain fell in the space of day.

Pictured: Town of Ludlow, Vermont left underwater

Tuesday 11 July 2023 17:28 , Louise Boyle

Beaches closed for swimming across New England due to high levels of bacteria

Tuesday 11 July 2023 17:10 , Louise Boyle

Beaches have been closed for swimming in parts of New England due to high levels of bacteria in the water, according to public health authorities.

Environmental officials reported numerous incidences of “bacterial exceedance”, potentially caused by human fecal matter ending up in the ocean, lakes and reservoirs due to recent storms which have brought heavy downpours and flash floods across the Northeast.

The swimming bans at many popular beaches come at the height of tourist season and also while the Northeast is battling high heat and humidity.

Beaches closed across New England due to high levels of bacteria

Breaking: Vermont warns Montpelier dam could fail amid intense rain and tells stranded residents to get to upper floors

Tuesday 11 July 2023 16:44 , Louise Boyle

Vermont warns Montpelier dam could fail amid intense rainfall

Raging torrents wipe out roads in upstate New York

Tuesday 11 July 2023 16:25 , Louise Boyle

One storm tracker in the Northeast shared video of Route 218 - connecting the small town of Cornwall in the Hudson Valley to West Point - noting that it was “gone”.

The New York area received intense downpours and extreme flooding from Sunday afternoon which has buckled infrastructure in a number of locations.

Vermont state capital closes downtown

Tuesday 11 July 2023 16:10 , Louise Boyle

A storm that saturated the Northeast was moving out on Tuesday, but more flooding was expected after already cutting off access to some communities, including the main approach to the state capital in Vermont.

Montpelier closed its downtown after major storms dropped more than two months of rain on Vermont in 48 hours.

The National Weather Service warns of more potential flash floods.

Watch: Life-threatening flooding sweeps through Vermont

Tuesday 11 July 2023 15:49 , Louise Boyle

Vermont sets up shelters in churches and town halls

Tuesday 11 July 2023 14:30 , Stuti Mishra

Some people canoed to the Cavendish Baptist Church in Vermont overnight, which had turned into a shelter while volunteers made cookies for firefighters working on rescues. the Associated Press reported.

"People are doing OK. It's just stressful," shelter volunteer Amanda Gross told AP.

Vermont representative Kelly Pajala said she and about a half dozen others evacuated early Monday from a four-unit apartment building on the West River in Londonderry.

"The river was at our doorstep," said Ms Pajala. "We threw some dry clothes and our cats into the car and drove to higher ground."

Rain moving out after flooding hits Vermont hard

Tuesday 11 July 2023 13:30 , Stuti Mishra

A storm that left up to two months' worth of rain in Vermont and saturated other parts of the Northeast was moving out on Tuesday morning, but more flooding was expected after already cutting off access to some communities, including the main approach to the state capital.

There have been no reports of injuries or deaths related to the Vermont flooding, according to emergency officials. But dozens of roads were closed, including many along the spine of the Green Mountains. And the National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings and advisories for much of the state from the Massachusetts line north to the Canadian border.

The slow-moving storm reached New England after hitting parts of New York, where one person died as she was trying to leave her home during flash flooding, and Connecticut on Sunday.

Governor says Vermont downpour 'worse than Irene'

Tuesday 11 July 2023 12:45 , Stuti Mishra

Vermont’s governor Phil Scott said on Monday night that some parts of the state had seen flooding worse than in 2011 during tropical storm Irene, a historic storm that destroyed bridges, homes and roads.

"We have not seen rainfall like this since Irene," Vermont Mr Scott said, adding that the difference is that Irene lasted just about 24 hours.

"This is going on. We're getting just as much rain, if not more. It's going on for days. That's my concern. It's not just the initial damage. It's the wave, the second wave, and the third wave," he said.

Biden declares emergency in Vermont

Tuesday 11 July 2023 12:03 , Stuti Mishra

US president Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in Vermont, where torrential rainfall has triggered life-threatening flash floods.

The emergency action frees up federal resources to supplement the state and local response efforts as well as authorising the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate all disaster relief efforts across Vermont.

Many rivers in the state were “expected to crest overnight at flood levels,” according to a joint press release from the Vermont Department of Public Safety and the Vermont Emergency Management.

“Vermonters should be vigilant and aware of conditions as floodwaters rise,” the agencies warned in the press release on Monday night.

“If flooding approaches your home evacuate to higher ground sooner rather than later, your route could be compromised by floodwaters and leave you stranded.”

Video: Police rescue stranded motorists as flash floods hit New York state

Tuesday 11 July 2023 11:15 , Stuti Mishra

Flood damage so far stands at $3-5bn

Tuesday 11 July 2023 09:45 , Stuti Mishra

The devastating floods that hit New York and the entire northeast coast of the US have already wrought billions of dollars of flood damage, reports from private organisation shows.

While the authorities haven't yet released a combined figure of all the damages across states, private forecaster AccuWeather estimated damages and economic losses stood at $3bn to $5bn, preliminarily, based on its own method of evaluation.

'This is an all-hands-on-deck event' says governor as New York and Vermont hardest hit by floods

Tuesday 11 July 2023 09:00 , Stuti Mishra

New York and Vermont were the hardest-hit states as torrential downpours lash large parts of the US northeast, leading to floods and widespread damage.

More precipitation was expected overnight until morning, creating further flood hazards, the National Weather Service said.

Vermont officials were calling the flooding the worst since Hurricane Irene reached the state as a tropical storm in 2011.

"This is an all-hands-on-deck" event, Vermont governor Phil Scott told a news conference.

Parts of Vermont had already received between 7 and 8 inches (17 and 20 cm) of rain, turning streets into raging rivers.

In New York, more than 8 inches of rain fell from Sunday to yesterday in Stormville, a small town just over 50 miles (80 km) northeast of New York City.

Much of the New York flooding was along the Hudson River north of New York City including the Orange County town of West Point, home to the Army's US Military Academy.

Flash flooding expected across New England today

Tuesday 11 July 2023 08:15 , Stuti Mishra

Flash flooding from excessive rainfall was expected across New England until Tuesday morning with Vermont facing the highest risk, forecasters said.

“Dangerous, widespread flash flooding from excessive rainfall is expected across New England through Tuesday morning; Highest risk for Vermont with expected impacts to transit routes," the National Weather Service warned.

Rainfall rates may exceed 2 inches per hour, according to authorities.

The rain is expected to continue at least till the middle of this week with federal forecasters then determining whether another front is headed for New England.

Roads and homes submerged in knee-deep water in US east coast

Tuesday 11 July 2023 07:33 , Stuti Mishra

Travel disrupted as 13 million people in the US north-east under flood alert

Tuesday 11 July 2023 06:45 , Stuti Mishra

More than 13 million Americans are under flood watches and warnings from eastern New York state to Boston and Western Maine to the northeast, the National Weather Service said in its forecast yesterday, after storms that began over the weekend inundated rivers and streams.

More than 1,000 flights to and from airports across the region, including New York's LaGuardia and Boston's Logan, were delayed or cancelled yesterday due to the rains.

Amtrak suspended passenger train service between the state capital Albany and New York City after flooding damaged tracks, as did the Metro-North commuter railroad which shares some of the same track.

One killed, 50 rescued so far

Tuesday 11 July 2023 06:15 , Stuti Mishra

Torrential downpours unleashed flash floods on the US northeast yesterday that washed out roadways, overwhelmed rivers, prompted 50 swift boat rescues and killed a woman who was swept away in front of her fiancé, officials said.

Mark Bosma, spokesperson for Vermont Emergency Management, told WCAX television

some 50 isolated people were rescued by swift boat.

On Sunday a woman in her 30s was swept away by floodwaters as she tried to leave her home with her dog on Sunday, officials said.

"Her fiancé literally saw her swept away," New York governor Kathy Hochul told a press conference in the town of Highland Falls.

State of emergency declared in Vermont

Tuesday 11 July 2023 05:55 , Stuti Mishra

Rescue teams raced to Vermont yesterday after heavy downpours across the Northeast washed out roads and forced evacuations.

Torrents poured through the verdant landscape and small towns of the state after Vermont governor Philip Scott declared a state of emergency on Sunday.

He told a press conference that “this may be just the start of what we’ll see as rainfall continues and will worsen over the next several hours”.

Read more:

State of emergency declared in Vermont as downpours and flash floods cut off towns

Tuesday 11 July 2023 05:51 , Stuti Mishra

Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog with the latest on flood alerts in the northeastern US coast. Stay tuned.