Historic floods strike Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - A heavy storm that began its trek through southern New England on Monday caused the worst flooding the area has seen in over a century and broke several records across Rhode Island.

By the time the storm leaves Wednesday, it's expected to have dropped between 5 and 9 inches over much of Rhode Island and Bristol County, Mass. Coupled with a heavy storm two weeks ago that also caused flooding, this storm has already made March the wettest month on record at the state's main airport, T.F. Green Airport in Warwick.

• Full weather forecast

On Tuesday morning, the Pawtuxet River had already broken its water level record of 14.9 feet, set just two weeks ago when heavy flooding caused major damage in Cranston and West Warwick. By Tuesday afternoon, the river reached 17 feet, and officials expect it to crest at between 19 and 20 feet by noon Wednesday. Water isn't expected to drop back into the riverbanks until late Friday or early Saturday.

The Blackstone River is also expected to reach major flood stage by Thursday evening, peaking at 18 feet, and the Woonasquatucket River is also in major flood stage.

Officials late Monday night asked for voluntary evacuations in Warwick. Cranston and Warwick have both made sandbags available to residents who need them.

Residents in the area said they still haven't recovered from the last floods.

"We just put a new washer and dryer in, we just put the new boiler in. We're out over $5,000 because we haven't gotten the new checks yet, so we owe these people this money, and here we go again two weeks later," said Brenda Furtado.

In Warwick, some 7,600 homes and businesses were asked not to use their toilets or run any water because of flooding issues at the wastewater treatment plant.

Flooding also prompted major concerns in East Providence, where crews called mandatory evacuations and shut down power in a neighborhood along the Massachusetts state line.

Any one needing a shelter should call (401) 831-7700 for locations nearest them and directions.

Many schools throughout the state closed for the day or let out their students early because of flooded conditions, and numerous roads were closed because they were flooded out.

• School closings and delays
• Road closures

Rhode Island Gov. Don Caliceri advised commuters to try to get home by 6 or 7 p.m. to avoid washed-out roads.

• More flood stories

About 14,000 customers were without power around 4 p.m., according to National Grid. About 9,000 of them are in Westerly — most of the town — the utility's Web site reports. About 1,000 customers in Providence and another 1,000 in West Warwick were without power, and the remaining customers were scattered throughout the state.

David Graves of National Grid asked customers statewide to cut back on usage, because the state's entire electric system is interconnected.

U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a letter to President Obama on Tuesday, urging him to expand his federal disaster proclamation to cover the entire state and increase federal disaster assistance to both the public and individuals.

On Monday, after requests from the Senators and Governor Carcieri, the Obama Administration declared Kent, Newport, Providence and Washington Counties as major disasters. The declaration paves the way for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send response teams to flood stricken areas and open Disaster Response Centers where residents and businesses can get assistance with filing disaster relief paperwork.