Vermont volunteers begin long road to recovery from historic floods

The Marshfield Village Store, located at the intersection of two rural highways in small town Vermont, has become a part of it all in recent days as residents struggle to recover from the state’s historic floods.

First, the store in Marshfield, about 45 miles (70 kilometres) east of the largest city in the state, Burlington, served as a shelter for about thirty people. By Friday, it was a distribution center for much needed fresh water and a source of supplies.

“We’re about to start rolling it out more formally, if there are other people who haven’t been able to get the support they need yet, so we can get them equipment and volunteers, emergency medication, work on their property, and that’s where we are now,” said Michelle Edelman McCormick, general manager of the store.

The storm dumped up to two months of rain in a few days in parts of the region earlier this week, surpassing the amount that fell when Tropical Storm Irene struck in 2011 and caused major flooding. Officials have described this week’s flooding as the state’s worst natural disaster since the floods of 1927, and some have noted that such storms have shown the effects of climate change.

More rain is expected in the coming days, and Vermont authorities said Saturday that increases the potential for landslides.

Flooding has been blamed for one death: Steven Davol, 63, drowned at his home Wednesday in the central Vermont town of Barre, population about 8,500 people, according to Vermont Emergency Management spokesman Mark Bousma. He urged people to continue to be extra careful when returning home and repairing the damage.

“Losing Vermont is always painful, but it was especially so this week,” US Senator Peter Welch said in a statement.

This is the second flood-related death caused by the epic storm-flooding system in the Northeast this week. The first was in upstate New York, where a woman was washed away by floodwaters in Fort Montgomery, a small Hudson River community 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of New York City.

President Joe Biden on Friday approved Vermont Gov. Phil Scott’s request for a major disaster declaration to provide federal support. Scott also said late Friday that he had asked the USDA to issue a catastrophic designation for the state because of the damage to crops.

Farms have been hit hard, after many farmers suffered a severe freeze in May. It is expected to “destroy a large portion of our production and livestock feed,” Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tibbetts told a news conference. He said it was too early to say the costs of the damages.

“In our mountain state, most of our fertile farmland lies in river valleys, and countless fields of corn, hay, vegetables, fruit, and pastures have been flooded and buried,” Scott said.

Residents from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were scheduled to begin inspecting hard-hit areas in Vermont Saturday. This will help determine who will qualify for government assistance. US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is due in the state next week to survey the damage from the flooding.

The state and others in the Northeast, including New Hampshire and Maine, are bracing for more rainy weather expected to hit Sunday and next week. The New Hampshire Department of Safety and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services said they are closely monitoring water levels across the state.

“We don’t know how common some of these storms are,” Scott said.

Several communities have been in contact with Vermont emergency management officials, but state officials said Friday they have yet to hear from about two dozen to thirty of them. National Guard troops were sent to contact. The state also announced that it will open centers to help flood survivors recover this weekend in Barre and Ludlow, a ski village in southern Vermont.

Most of the emergency shelters have been emptied, leaving fewer than 70 people left. The focus has shifted to providing food and water and repairing infrastructure, including dozens of closed roads. State officials estimate that 23 water treatment plants were either flooded or discharged untreated sewage into waterways.

Mayor Brendan McNamara said most of Ludlow’s residents had returned home and had access to electricity and water. All roads to the city that were previously cut off by floods are now accessible.

But many challenges remain. The post office and sewage treatment plant were severely damaged. The main grocery store and several restaurants were closed due to the damage. In their place, dozens of pop-up stores have sprung up offering fresh meals. The community center served as a clearinghouse for water, food, and medicine donated by volunteers pouring into town.

“You’re walking up and down the street, and any place that hasn’t been hit has a sign out front – FREE FOOD. Come get it please,” McNamara said. “This tells me we have one group.”

As of Friday, about 5,200 people have signed up statewide to help with the relief effort through the state Emergency Management Agency and online volunteer recruitment efforts, according to Philip Collinge, director of SerVermont.

“What we’re doing doesn’t even begin to attract all the volunteers who are organized through local organizations, towns and informal networks, and we encourage those local efforts because they can often meet critical needs more quickly,” Cooling said.

Some volunteers have offered to drive for the charity Meals on Wheels or take people to medical appointments, others to help with general cleaning.

In Ludlow, a Calcutta restaurant has been preparing meals for first responders, volunteers, and anyone else who might need one. A large banqueting room was set up with cots, water and toiletries.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done to get us back to normal,” said Michael Reyes, who works for the hospitality group that owns the restaurant.

Miro Weinberger, mayor of Vermont’s largest city, Burlington, said that as more rain falls, it’s important that residents adhere to safety restrictions as they get out of the storm.

“We continue to operate under the state of emergency, and more heavy rain is expected Sunday. Again, I urge you to take care of road closures and all directions from state and local officials, including staying away from riverbanks, streams and streams where flash floods can quickly occur,” Weinberger said.

McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire, and Whittle reported from Portland, Maine. Associated Press reporters Lisa Rathke in Marshfield and Michael Casey in Boston contributed.