They say history doesn鈥檛 repeat, but it rhymes.
The flooding that began Wednesday night 鈥� on the exact anniversary of last year鈥檚 devastating floods, and in some of the same communities, same roads, same farms, same homes 鈥� rhymed with cruel precision.
The storms raged diagonally across the state鈥檚 northern half, from Addison County to Essex County.
Up to 6 inches of rain fell in some areas, and rivers spilled toward homes that people had recommitted to, by choice or by necessity, after the last floods. Waters destroyed newly restored bridges, lawns and trails.
Dozens of people and pets were rescued from their homes and vehicles in Berlin, Underhill, Barre, Richmond, Middlesex, Northfield, Moretown, Greensboro, Lyndon and Stowe, including 50 people in Lyndonville.
An apartment building in Plainfield was largely swept away.
A 33-year-old man in Peacham died, police said, after a culvert was breached and his UTV was swept away.
Public water supplies were impacted; Lyndonville grappled with a do-not-drink notice, and there were boil water notices in Barnet, Plainfield, St. Johnsbury and Barre City.
As waters receded, volunteer groups that formed after last year鈥檚 floods sprang into action again, knowing all too well how to pump out and muck out.
And Vermonters once again considered the reality of largely tied to the burning of fossil fuels, and the types of development patterns and river morphology that can make flooding more serious.
More: How to help Vermont communities reeling from July 2024 floods
By the evening, all river gauges that had recorded a major flood stage showed waters receding, except for the , whose rise was beginning to slow.
Caledonia County remains under a flood warning until the early morning hours on Friday.
The National Weather Service in Burlington said flooded roads are expected to isolate towns like East Burke, West Burke, Lyndonville and St. Johnsbury. And homes and businesses on Route 5 along the Passumpsic River from Lyndonville to St. Johnsbury are expected to flood.
Live updates: Find the latest flooding information on 开云体育's live blog
Safety and resources
Important safety information:
- Shelters are open in Barre (Barre Auditorium, 16 Auditorium Hill) and St. Johnsbury (St. Johnsbury School, 257 Western Ave.).
- Respect road closures and do not attempt to drive or walk across flooded areas.
- Rivers are running fast and contain debris. They are unsafe for swimming and recreation.
Links to key resources:
- See a map of impacts across the state.
- For road closure information, visit or.
- To request cleanup help from volunteers and groups, call the Crisis Cleanup hotline at 802-242-2054.
- For mental health support, call 9-8-8.
- To offer donations through state organizers, call 888-653-7715 or email [email protected].
- To register to volunteer through state government, register at
- You can sign up for alerts from the state at.
- The latest are provided by the National Water Prediction Service.
- Find flood safety information in multiple languages at
- Find information at
- Find flood-prone areas near you with the.
- To find more resources and other services, call Vermont 2-1-1 or visit.
Samantha Watson and Lola Duffort contributed reporting.
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