A flash flood swamped an apartment complex in the low-lying area of Cranston, Rhode Island Monday afternoon. Waist-high flood water filled the ground floor of homes, and several people were removed from the area as a torrential downpour created an emergency evacuation zone just south of the state capital of Providence, the Associated Press reports.
According to fire officials, around 60 people were displaced, and more than half of those removed had to be removed by boat. Before they were removed, firefighters saw floodwaters rising so quickly that residents of the Dean Estates apartment complex had to be moved to the second floor before they were taken to safety.
Cranston - with a population of 80,000 - is the third-largest city in Rhode Island. At an elevation of a mere 62 feet above sea level, it's highly susceptible to flooding.
According to Cranston Fire Chief William McKenna, an East Providence firefighter was injured - possibly to his knee - when the ground was washed out behind one of the buildings. Police and Firefighters also had to make their way through the water to help drivers stuck on the road.
The National Weather Service reported 3.5 inches of rain in Cranston on Monday. On average, the city receives 3.92 inches of rain per month, according to the Weather Channel.
The Red Cross has volunteered to help to 35 adults and 15 children who were displaced, spokesman Paul Shipman said Tuesday. According to Shipman, the owner of the building was housing some residents temporarily while others were temporarily being housed in a hotel.
"They all needed a range of assistance that included help with food replacement, clothing replacement and temporary housing," Shipman told the Associated Press.
According to McKenna, no one is going to be allowed back into their apartment until structural and electrical damage caused during the storm is fully assessed.
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