Vermont officials hold news conference on flood response & Debby
Berlin, VT- Gov. Phil Scott and other state officials are providing an update on the state’s flood response and preparedness as the state prepares for the potential of more flooding from the remnants of Debby.
A flood watch is in effect until Saturday morning for northern New York and the Northeast Kingdom. In addition to that, there is a regionwide slight to moderate risk for excessive rainfall throughout the day on Friday.
Gov. Phil Scott said, “I encourage Vermonters to monitor storm updates and be prepared. Damaged rivers and roads from July’s floods will make this event more unpredictable than usual. It’s difficult to know where the water will go and exactly how much rivers and streams can take.”
While there is some uncertainty in how much rain Debby will bring to the area, the National Weather Service’s forecasts suggest 1-3 inches of rain will fall Friday into Saturday morning, with the potential of 4 inches or more in the North Country and Montreal area, and officials say there’s a risk of flash flooding.
Vermonters urged to ‘be prepared’ as Debby heads toward New England
Strong winds are expected to pick up Friday afternoon and exit the state Friday night, leading to the potential for downed power lines and outages. Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison says they’re anticipating winds between 20-30 mph with gusts reaching 50 mph. According to Morrison, there’s also the potential for tornadoes in Southern Vermont.
Green Mountain Power officials say they have expanded their field force to be ready to respond to outages as quickly as possible. GMP Vice President of Operations Mike Burke said, “Safety is key for customers with this storm and there will be changing conditions in your area, so please be alert and plan ahead. Travel could be difficult, especially tonight with possible rising waters.”
Officials with the Red Cross say they have disaster response teams standing by in order to provide support in the event of flooding or landslides. The Red Cross suggests having an emergency kit prepared if evacuation is needed.
The potential of more flooding from Debby comes just weeks after the Northeast Kingdom was inundated by flooding, washing out roads and cutting off some areas to Emergency Services. Just over a month earlier, the remnants of Beryl brought statewide flooding on the anniversary of floods in July 2023.
On Friday, Gov. Scott encouraged Vermotners to continue reporting damage to 2-1-1, even if it’s from earlier flooding and has since been repaired. Every report that the state receives brings them one step closer to qualifying for federal assistance.
Morrison recommends people remain vigilant until Saturday morning, as the potential for heavy rain and flooding goes through the night. As Vermonters are probably more than used to hearing, don’t drive across flooded roads, stay away from downed power lines, and have a plan to evacuate your home in the case of flooding.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
