Metropolitan Boston Receives Heavy Rainfall-Flash Flooding Ensues
The old saying ‘when it rains it pours’ certainly is true and the residents of Boston can attest to that. This past weekend, metro Boston picked up between two and four inches of rain in just about one hour’s time. The heavy downpours resulted in urban flash flooding and a lot of headaches for home and business owners.
Flash flooding is the number one killer in a thunderstorm. Flash floods kill more people than lightning, wind, hail and tornadoes. The heavy rain that fell on the Boston area was a result of a cold front that moved into the area early Saturday. The front is now out in the Pacific ocean and the threat of flash flooding is over. However, the lingering humidity with a soon-approaching weather system will most likely lead to the chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms.
Saturday’s flash flooding left Somerville, Massachusetts’ police department underwater. The flood prompted the department to shut its doors so it could start to clean up the mess. Three to four feet of flood water infiltrated the police department at the public service department building police headquarters. The weekend rains caused problems throughout Somerville as it flooded homes, roadways and left vehicles stranded and submerged in deep water. The Somerville police had eighteen of its vehicles and eight motorcycles water damaged by the flash flood but they had to set their problems aside so that they could address the problems of the town residents.
Somerville residents were asked to put non-emergency issues on hold until the police vehicles were cleaned and put back into operation. Of course if someone needs help, they should call 911 so that help can be summoned. It is believed that three of the police vehicles have become totaled due to the water damage sustained. The auxiliary fire department also took a big hit by the rains as some of the equipment was lost and the fire fighters will have to replace some of the gear themselves.
Flash flood warnings were issued for four counties in the eastern portion of the state of Massachusetts. There were many reports of vehicles getting stuck in flood water and video footage obtained from CNN affiliate WHDH showed cars sitting under a Somerville area overpass fully submerged in water. The tunnel filled with eighteen feet of water, which prompted drivers to be rescued from their vehicles. To add insult to injury, the water was heavily mixed with raw sewage which made life miserable for both victims and rescuers.
