The decision to help release funds to support the rescue effort came after officials warned that water in the Wrightsville Dam near the Vermont state capital of Montpelier was about to exceed its maximum capacity.

In a statement late on July 10, Montpelier city administrator William Fraser emphasized that such a problem has never occurred since the dam was built, so the possibility of damage if the water exceeds the capacity of this project cannot be ruled out.

Flooded scene after heavy rains in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Photo: VNA

There have been no immediate reports of casualties from the flooding, but officials said high waters had flooded the city center of Montpelier, a city of about 8,000 people. Rescuers used boats to rescue dozens of people trapped in flooded homes.

According to the US National Weather Service (NWS), after a series of flash floods in New York state that killed a woman on July 9, there were extremely heavy rains, with some places receiving over 200mm. Continuously on July 9 and 10, torrential rains fell in many areas in the Northeastern United States, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Vermont. This extreme weather phenomenon washed away many bridges and flooded many roads, causing traffic to stagnate.

In Vermont, more than 100 people have been rescued, and authorities are trying to evacuate others by helicopter, the New York Times reported.

Mr. Mike Cannon, the official in charge of the Vermont State Rescue Team, emphasized that the natural disaster situation is still very serious. Authorities are still urgently carrying out rescue operations.

Governor Phil Scott said the flooding was comparable to the flooding caused by Hurricane Irene in 2011, which killed six people in the state. Citing expert forecasts, Scott said there was a high possibility of even heavier rains later this week.

In neighboring Canada’s Quebec province, more than 600 people have also been evacuated from their homes after torrential rains. Local authorities reported that in just 48 hours, nearly 140mm of rain fell on the Montmorency Forest, near Quebec City, causing rivers to rise rapidly.

Climate change is increasing the risk of heavy rains because the warmer atmosphere holds more water, scientists say.

VNA