WATERBURY, Vt. (WCAX) – Residents in Waterbury are surveying the damage Thursday morning after flash floods filled basements and left debris in its path.
Residents were using vacuums to clean up water on the first floor of the Commo family’s home in Waterbury.
“This makes three times this year, or within a year at least. We’re learning,” said Matthew Commo of Waterbury.
One year to the day since last July’s flooding ripped through the region, Commo says this time it wasn’t as bad, but he still faced five feet of water in his basement.
It was a similar story for others in the neighborhood who say repeated flooding is frustrating.
“We had already done a lot of preliminary stuff but then water kept on coming and started flooding the basement around 5 o’clock. Around 6 o’clock we moved out,” said Roger Clapp of Waterbury.
Waterbury Fire Chief Gary Dillon says water poured in overnight and fast squad and swift water rescue crews came in to help people out of their homes. He says given the track record this is becoming a new normal.
“It’s time to really think about whether or not it’s of any value to move your furnaces, your hot water tanks, find a place upstairs if you’ve got them in the basement still. If you’re putting things in the basement it really needs to be disposable because it’s going to continue to happen, clearly,” Dillon said.
The chief says residents who need help can call the town offices for assistance. The town’s selectboard was meeting to discuss any additional emergency measures.