Vermont residents survey flood damage, brace for more rain

Vermont residents are cleaning up after record rains and flooding. "Well, we were probably less than 100 feet from the river and the water came up here, so there was about a foot of water," said Bernie Noe, who lives in Montpelier. Two months of rain in two days sent the Winooski River rushing through its banks, inundating the state capital, Montpelier. "The church is the people; we are very lucky that our people are safe, but it is a kick in the stomach to see this beautiful sacred space in such a bad light." said the Rev. Kevin Holland Sparrow of the local Christ Church Episcopal. The flood flowed through this 160-year-old church in the heart of the city. Volunteers and downtown business owners cleaned the silt and grime from the buildings and this restaurant, including the equipment. by Julios Cantina. "And the help has been amazing." The state of Vermont is assessing damage from the storm, with more rain and severe thunderstorms in the forecast for Sunday. "We've done aerial reconnaissance, which is difficult this time of year because of our thick foliage, and then we have teams on the ground -- state teams, non-profit teams, and fema teams that are on the ground and start the reconnaissance work. to account for the damage in our community," said Jennifer Morrison, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Safety. SEE MORE: Extreme rains cause near-record flooding in the Northeast Vermont officials blame the storms for two deaths, including one in the nearby town of Barre, where a man died. mud and mud. Pumping water from basements. "It must be 7 or 8 feet, and all this mud was down here, too. We've been hauling mud in buckets for two days," said Spike Dutil, a Barre resident. A path turned into a torrent and the stream overflowed its banks. "Yeah, this was our driveway. We woke up Monday morning to a raging river outside our house on all four sides. And as you can see, it washed out the driveway and our driveway," said Laurie Dodge, Middlesex City resident. Rough water is bringing down this storm sewer, blocking the creek and creating more flooding problems. "The creek has been over the bank numerous times," said Kyle Weaver, a Middlesex resident. "That was the deciding factor for this house." Officials suggest this is the worst storm to hit Vermont since 1927, showing the effects of climate change. More rain is forecast across the state, which is making people nervous. scene, and workers are assessing the damage. The US Secretary of Transportation is expected to visit next week to inspect badly damaged highways to see where the federal government can help.