The aftermath of Hurricane Beryl resulted in destructive flooding in Vermont on Thursday, impacting the state one year after severe flooding troubled parts of the region. Vermont experienced flooded roads, damaged infrastructure, and debris-strewn pathways following heavy rainfall that began on Wednesday. Emergency rescues took place Wednesday night, with certain areas being placed under evacuation orders.
Central Vermont, previously hit hard by flooding in the preceding July, exhibited significant damage once more. Reports indicated flooded roads and homes in the city of Barre. Beryl, initially hitting Texas on Monday as a Category 1 hurricane, transformed into a post-tropical cyclone, creating tornadoes and flooding from the Great Lakes to northern New England, leaving residents in Houston without power.
Northern New York and New England, including Vermont, remained under flood watches and warnings early Thursday, with thunderstorms linked to Beryl predicted across the East Coast until Friday according to the National Weather Service. Vermont Emergency Management informed of evacuations and road closures due to flooding, predominantly in the central part of the state, and urged individuals to move to higher ground to avoid floodwaters.
Despite not reaching the catastrophe of last July’s flooding, the storm still posed risks where flash flooding occurred, the weather service revealed. Emergency response teams, along with the National Guard, were prepared to act swiftly. Elsewhere, upstate New York encountered a tornado that caused damage, while southwestern Indiana saw another tornado that led to property destruction but fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Hurricane Beryl has been linked to seven deaths in the U.S.? one in Louisiana and six in Texas? and at least 11 fatalities in the Caribbean. In Texas, over 1.3 million properties were without power early Thursday, a decrease from the peak of 2.7 million on Monday, as per PowerOutage.us stats.
