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    Sunday, May 26, 2024

    Flooding leads to road closures, delayed school openings in region

    Heavy overnight rains and gusty winds led to flooded roadways, scattered power outages and delayed openings at some schools around the region.

    Several roads around Norwich were reported closed early Wednesday and police said others present a danger to commuters because of the amount of water. Later in the morning, the Yantic River reached record flood level, prompting water rescues and evacuations.

    In some cases, Norwich police said roads were submerged under several feet of water or had flowing water on them. White Plains Road was blocked by a tree in the road in the area of Hanson Road.

    The following Norwich roads are closed or have hazardous conditions as of 4:50 a.m.: Huntington Avenue, Sholes Avenue, Bliss Place, Julian Street, West Town at Case Street, Otrobando Avennue at Wawecus Street and Salem Turnpike at Teddy Lane

    Police said the list is not all inclusive of possible roadway hazards.

    Roads in some other towns were reported closed early Wednesday before the rain ended. Montville police reported water over the road in areas that included Fitch Hill Road, Route 82 at the Bozrah town line and near Sachatello Drive. New London Turnpike, between Fitch Hill Road and Old Fitch Hill Road was closed early Wednesday.

    Groton Town Manager John Burt said a tree fell on a house on Walker Hill Road just after midnight, but no one was injured. Burt said as of Wednesday morning, the South Road underpass was closed, and Poquonnock Road was closed between Buddington and South Roads. Toll Gate Road at Burningtree Drive was flooded, but passable.

    City of Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick said the city is asking people to avoid Shore Avenue, South Prospect Street, Beach Pond Road, and Jupiter Point. High tide was at 7:46 this morning, so he is anticipating that the water should recede. He said part of the flooding is tidal and part is from the storm and winds.

    He said there were no power outages both in Groton Utilities territory and in Bozrah territory. He said that was partly due to the utility’s campaign to keep trees cut and clear of the power lines.

    In Mystic, Gravel Street was shut down with barricades at West Main Street and cones at Clift Street and Park Place, he said. Pearl Street was closed from The Harp and Hound to the church. All of Birdloss Road was under water and closed, he said. River Road flooded, and a tree was down in the area of 1100 River Road.

    Preston, Bozrah, Groton and Salem are among other school districts to announce a two-hour delayed opening. Norwich schools are closed.

    In East Lyme, Police Chief Michael Finkelstein said there were some overnight flooding issues but no long term closures or damage reported. At about 2 a.m., Main Street at Pennsylvania Avenue was completely flooded up to the Spice Club restaurant. Finkelstein said flooding in that area is common when a large volume of rain falls.

    Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker this morning reported extensive flooding in shoreline areas, including water on Hartford Avenue from Sound View Beach to the Carousel Shop.

    She said about 30 homes lost power but had been restored.

    Emergency management director Dave Roberge described water levels from the storm as abnormally high.

    “Normally we get snow,” he said. “With the way the patterns are, we’re getting a warmer climate this year, so we’re getting more rain.”

    John Troland, a resident of the Hawk's Nest Beach community, said the area was underwater. He attributed most of the problem to development in the flood zone.

    "All the building, paving and sidewalks that they continue to do makes it worse," he said.

    Sandy Kenniston, Office Coordinator for the Waterford Public Works Department, said "We have water over the roads in four or five locations but nothing that’s urgent."

    "Oil Mill Road down where it meets Boston Post Road - that was pretty flooded this morning," she said. "Right before that bridge that goes to Flanders."

    Kenniston added that Oswegatchie Rd., coming off Niantic River Rd. near the low spot where it goes by Kenny Cove was also flooded.

    "It's mostly because of high tide," she said.

    Eversource reports scattered power outages around the state with 2,859 homes without power as of 9 a.m.

    Norwich Public Utilities, which was already dealing with numerous power outages throughout the morning, announced it had taken off line its Bean Hill power substation because of a partial dam breach on the Yantic River. The move has disrupted about 5,000 customers, NPU said.

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