As water-weary Bay State residents pumped their way out of flooded basements and navigated swollen streets, weather forecasters kept a flood warning in effect Monday.
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney called a state of emergency Sunday in order to be able to call on the National Guard to help out in flood-stricken areas, particularly the North Shore, where raging rivers were surging over their banks.
NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that in Peabody, Mass., emergency workers and residents were working overtime trying to bail out. Schools and courts were closed Monday and the local high school was converted to a shelter for people who were flooded out. Cars all over the community were submerged.
"There's nothing you can do. I've never seen it this bad in 20 years," Peabody firefighter Jim Lendall said.
The National Guard helped with sandbags while Romney toured Peabody Sunday night after 10 inches of rain fell. It was one of 10 North Shore communities to open temporary shelters.
"Fortunately we don't have heavy winds and lightning and the kinds of tide problems you'd have in a hurricane," Romney said, trying to focus on the positive side of the storm.
It wasn't the kind of Mother's Day that many residents had envisioned.
"This is the first time that the seniors in the center tonight have ever been evacuated from their homes," Romney said. "They haven't seen quite this much rain."
Besides flooded basements and cracking streets, there were concerns that flood waters may contain raw sewage.
"We're seeing forecasts for another 3 to 6 inches, so the worst isn't over yet. And our rivers have really not begun to crest," Romney said.
There is an emergency hotline set up for residents to call at 1-800-293-4031.
NewsCenter 5's Shiba Russell reported that in Winchester, many of the roads that were closed Sunday were reopened by Monday, but police said it appeared the swollen Aberjona River had subsided slightly, which was good news.
The pond in front of Winchester High School had overflowed, covering Skillins Road and turning it into a river. Crews were working to pump water out of the high school basement. All public schools in Winchester were closed Monday.
On Lakeshore Drive in Arlington, there was a major sandbag operation in effect, firefighters trying prevent water from the upper Mystic Lake Dam from submerging the area.
In Melrose, an estimated 500 to 1,000 residents had to be evacuated Sunday. Many said it was the worst flooding they had ever seen. It could be several weeks before things are back to normal, the mayor said.
Previous Stories:
- May 15, 2006: Bay State Braces For More Flooding
- May 14, 2006: Bay State Barraged
- May 14, 2006: Rain Continues As Gov. Declares State Of Emergency
- May 14, 2006: Gov. Declares Flooding State Of Emergency
- May 11, 2006: Flood Watch Posted For Parts Of State
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