By Tuesday morning, the rain that had ravaged the state finally relented. But at a press briefing, state officials warned Vermonters that the disaster is far from over.
Rivers are continuing to rise, dams are nearing their capacity limits, and more rain is in the forecast later this week. “The water has to go someplace,” Gov. Phil Scott said grimly.
“I just want to make perfectly clear: This is not over,” he said Tuesday morning.
As of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, no injuries or deaths due to the flooding have been reported, according to Commissioner of Public Safety Jennifer Morrison. She said the department was deploying unmanned aircrafts to assess flood damage and attempt to locate stranded individuals. According to Secretary of Transportation Joe Flynn as of 11 a.m. Monday, 78 state roads were closed due to dangerous flood conditions.
Scott and other state officials updated Vermonters on the latest conditions from a state office building in Berlin. Even the state Department of Public Safety and Emergency Response Center’s usual headquarters in Waterbury had to be evacuated Monday due to flooding.
State officials and first responders are still in acute response and life-saving mode. Recovery is a way’s off, Scott and others said Tuesday — though an emergency declaration from the White House, and corresponding federal dollars that are sure to come Vermont’s way, will help with those efforts when the time comes.
Over and over on Tuesday, officials emphasized that Vermonters should not take risks and should stay safe. Stay out of floodwaters, either by foot or vehicle, they said. Heed state and local officials’ warnings, including road closures, and do not drive past road barricades — even if a road appears passable from afar.
Mike Cannon, the state’s urban search and rescue program coordinator, recounted an incident in which a driver passed a road barricade on Winooski Street in Waterbury, and her car was swept away in floodwaters, nearly into the river. The resulting swift water rescue conducted at about 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, Cannon said, was “extremely high risk” for both the driver and the rescuers.
“That team took a considerable amount of time to safely rescue that woman from that vehicle,” Cannon said. “I cannot stress this enough: Please, please follow the direction and the input from local and state authorities regarding road closures and safety decisions.”
Even when flood water recedes, roads may have still suffered too much damage to be structurally sound. Though previously closed sections of Interstate 89 have now reopened, it is restricted to one lane just north of Montpelier, headed northbound. Flynn told reporters that’s because crews are assessing whether the road is structurally safe for vehicle traffic.
Morrison acknowledged that many Vermonters want to do the right thing and volunteer to help. But she warned: “Please do not self deploy. Floodwaters are receding but there are still many hazards out there. Please do not become someone in need of rescue.”
“There will come a time that we will need the help of all Vermonters to recover from this disaster, but we are not there yet,” Morrison added. “For now, please focus your volunteer energy at the hyper local level. Check on your neighbors and the most vulnerable in your neighborhood.”
