AUGUSTA, Maine – The Eastern Seaboard and New England were devastated by a massive storm earlier this week, resulting in the loss of six lives and posing several deadly hazards.
Damaging winds with gusts up to 90 mph toppled trees and power lines. Additionally, heavy rain on top of a melting snowpack in New England has flooded communities and eroded roads.
Power crews are working quickly to restore power for almost 300,000 customers, with the majority of those who lost power residing in Maine. Central Maine Power Company has sent out more than 1,000 line workers to help restore power. Additionally, crews from Ohio Power Company are en route to assist Maine.
Parts of Augusta, Maine, were flooded on Tuesday due to excessive rain the day before, causing the Kennebec River to burst its banks. The National Weather Service reported that some parts of the state received over 7 inches of rain.
Although the rain stopped by Tuesday, the Kennebec River is expected to remain above flood stage for several days, according to the Augusta Police Department.
Drone footage shot by Dave Dostie shows the flooded Kennebec River rushing through the city on Tuesday morning.
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Part of a road in Moscow, Maine, was washed out, as captured by local photographer Marc Scott’s aerial footage.
Scott said that the washout happened after a nearby stream “jumped the bank” after the storm. There was “no other way to access homes above the washout.”
At least two Maine residents were killed by falling trees during the storm, according to authorities.
Several parts of Vermont were under Flood Warnings after the storm brought heavy rainfall to the region.
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The state’s Department of Agriculture captured drone footage that showed flooding in Richmond, Cambridge and Jeffersonville. The NWS reported that some areas in the state received up to 5 inches of rain during the storm.
Drone footage captured Tuesday shows the flooding around Plymouth State University and the Pemigewasset River in New Hampshire, caused by the heavy rainfall.
“Thank you to the efforts of first responders, firefighters, line workers, Plymouth Water, and the PSU Physical Plant team for the flood prep on our buildings,” the university wrote on social media.
The NWS warned moderate to major mainstem river flooding would continue through Wednesday.