Vermont plunged into chaos as floodwaters engulf Montpellier
Residents unable to step outside
The dam's overflow further intensified the already "catastrophic" flooding scenario described by the National Weather Service in Montpelier's charming downtown area, where individuals resorted to navigating the submerged streets using canoes.
Urgent rescue of pedestrians
Rescuers and firefighters maneuvered on rafts through the inundated streets of Montpelier to offer assistance to residents. The heightened flooding, caused by a looming threat from a Vermont reservoir, put the state's capital at risk as a protective dam neared its capacity on Tuesday (July 11). As a result, road closures have isolated the town, leaving some residents trapped in their homes.
President Biden acknowledges the need for relief
Vermont's commissioner of public safety, Jennifer Morrison, reported that the widespread flooding has necessitated over 100 rescues across the state. Responding to the situation, US President Joe Biden expressed his commitment to aiding the relief efforts through a tweet, assuring federal support.
The flood is worse than Hurricane Irene
According to the city's manager on social media, the Wrightsville Dam, responsible for creating a reservoir north of Montpelier, had a mere 6 feet (1.8 m) of storage capacity left early on Tuesday morning. Vermont authorities have labeled the ongoing flooding as the most severe since Hurricane Irene struck the state as a tropical storm in 2011, resulting in approximately $750 million in damages and claiming seven lives in Vermont.
Satellite image comparison of post flood Montpellier
The image on the left shows Vermont in 2019 compared to the one on the right which has been taken at the time of the flood.
Climate scientists assert that the increasing occurrence and severity of extreme weather events throughout the United States are indicative of global climate change predominantly caused by human activities.
Scientists concerned over the flood spreading far
Heightened apprehensions regarding the dam have intensified due to the looming threat of further rainfall, which has the potential to trigger additional flooding across Vermont, northeastern New York state, as well as parts of Connecticut and Massachusetts, as highlighted by the National Weather Service. Several areas in the region have already experienced substantial precipitation, with accumulations of up to 8 inches (20 cm) over recent days. These torrential downpours have resulted in surging floodwaters, causing rivers and streams to swell, impacting small towns, and necessitating the closure of major roadways.
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