WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Monday communities are dealing with clean up after heavy rains caused flooding in some areas.
Heavy rain, slamming communities across western Massachusetts Monday. Many hit with rapidly rising water levels, like in Westfield, closing roads and bridges in Northampton, and even forcing evacuations in Williamsburg. There, three people, saved from their homes after torrential rain hit, flooding the East Branch Mill River.
Deputy Director for the Western Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team, Jason Saunders, telling 22News, “Two residents were rescued. They used a boat to get them across the water to safety an additional resident was assisted through the water.”
Also in Hampshire County, first responders seen rescuing a 57-year-old resident after they were trapped in their vehicle, as Maines Field in Florence flooded from the nearby Mill River. A path of debris left behind after the river flowed onto the field, and yards away we also saw the river take down a large tree; Just another reminder of how powerful this water really is.
Thomas Smith lives nearby, and came by Maines Field to see what damage was done by the flood. Smith tells 22News, “it was coming up fast, and I started to see things get submerged, and the bridge that crosses our road, when it reaches the bottom of the bridge, its very high.”
Smith adds he hasn’t seen anything like this since Hurricane Irene, “I don’t know if this is the new normal, we are hearing a lot about storms and they are more frequent. But you know, nature does its thing.”
Also an update in Northampton: The West Street Bridge will remain closed overnight Monday until it is re-accessed Tuesday. Drivers are asked to find an alternate route.