More flood damage reported in North Country
Jul. 10—PLATTSBURGH — As more and more rain pours down daily, North Country roads continue to be hampered by the heavy amounts of water.
After more steady rains Sunday night and into Monday morning kept coming, several more roads were washed out in parts, causing closures and detours.
Three rescues also had to be performed in parts of Clinton County that were heavily soaked.
STATE SUPPORT
New York State Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Jackie Bray said response efforts have been underway in many parts of the state, including the North Country.
"We are working hand in glove with local officials in the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes to assess damage and address immediate needs," Bray said.
"We are also focused on ensuring our response assets are in place in the North Country to respond to the ongoing threat of flash flooding there. New Yorkers in the eastern part of the state must stay alert to conditions today."
ROADS WASHED OUT
The Saranac area in the western portion of Clinton County seemed to be hit the hardest as it received about 3.3 inches of rain within about two hours.
As a result, there were complete washouts of culverts and heavy shoulder damage, Clinton County Emergency Services Director Eric Day, said.
Roads affected by closures were Standish Road between True Brook and Piney Ridge Roads, Burnt Hill/Hardscrabble Road intersection, Pup Hill Road near Cane Road, Strackville Road near Ore Bed Road, Wallbee & Farrell Roads.
Other roads impacted were at Picketts Corners Road near Saranac Central School and Canning Road.
Also in Saranac, fire departments rescued a cut off motorist on True Brook Road as well as evacuated a homeowner due to Chazy Lake Road flooding.
The Mooers Fire Department worked with County Dispatch, U.S. Border Patrol and Canadian Border Patrol to locate and extricate four possible lost immigrants from a swamp near Gilbert Road, Day said.
In Altona, which has been hit hard by flooding over the past week, New York State Department of Transportation had to close Military Turnpike at 3993 for about two hours due to water over the road.
Water also was over the road at Vassar and Dragoon Roads, and over Miner Farm Road in several locations.
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
In the Town of Plattsburgh, Bradford Road had some issues with water overwhelming pipes under the road, Town Supervisor Michael Cashman said.
Crews spent about three hours working on that problem.
The town also sent two of its dump trucks to Saranac to assist that town with repairs and cleanup.
"Neighbors helping neighbors," Cashman said.
"When you have weather like this even the slightest rainfall keeps that water raging and you have to stay on top of it."
In Champlain, water was over the road on Tallman Road, and in Chazy, water was over the road on Recore Road near Westbrook Road, and was closed for several hours.
Day said high winds also joined the rain Sunday night and into Monday morning, which caused several trees and utility wires to fall. Crews from New York State Electric and Gas and fire departments from Dannemora, Mooers, Saranac, Altona, Beekmantown and others had to respond to flooding or tree and wire calls.
Firefighters also spent much time pumping out basements.
Emergency Services personnel were on alert Monday as more rain was forecast for the rest of the day.
The National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch for the region at 3:24 a.m. Monday until 9 p.m. Monday.
STORM HEADING EAST
To discuss the heavy rains that have hit the state in recent days, Gov. Kathy Hochul held a press conference early Monday.
"New York is in the middle of a dangerous 48 hours where extreme weather conditions have put much of our state at risk," Hochul said.
"I have declared a State of Emergency for Orange and Ontario Counties, where flooding last night made significant damage. While the storm has already passed through the southern part of New York, conditions remain dangerous in further north where there are ongoing extreme weather conditions. I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant, monitor local forecasts and have an evacuation plan ready if you're in a danger zone."
Hochul said she does not expect the level of damage that occurred in the Western part of the state — where some areas experienced more than eight inches of rain — to happen anywhere else.
"Rain is hitting Albany; it's also hitting the (Lake) Champlain area. Fortunately, the bullseye of this storm seems to be moving east; unfortunately, for the people of Vermont ... but we're not anticipating this scale of damage in other parts of New York at this time," she said.
"But that could change."
E-mail: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com
Twitter: @jlotemplio
