Connecticut has declared a state of emergency after parts of the state were hit with a historical once-in-1,000-year flooding event.
After up to 10 inches of rainfall fell on southwestern Connecticut in only a few hours, many residents struggled to save themselves and their homes.
Massive Rainfall in Connecticut
According to the National Weather Service in New York, areas in southwestern Connecticut experienced about 6 to 10 inches of rainfall in just six to nine hours.
Some areas saw historic flooding events not seen in 200 years — or even in 1,000.
A Deadly Flash Flooding Event
Unfortunately, two people have died as a result of this catastrophic flooding event. Two women in Oxford were found dead.
In both cases, firefighters and emergency responders were trying to save these victims in two different situations. However, the racing water was too strong — and they ended up being swept away before the responders could reach them.
A State of Emergency Declared
In the aftermath of this devastating event, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has officially declared a state of emergency, citing these deaths and the hundreds of evacuations that took place on Sunday.
“This declaration can help expedite some of the resources needed for us to respond, including potential federal support,” Lamont wrote on X. “Hundreds of evacuations and swift water rescues were necessary to remove people from dangerous areas and shelters were opened.”
A One in 1,000 Years Event
Many officials have also come out to explain how rare this flooding situation is. Monroe, Connecticut received about 9.98 inches of rainfall — a one-in-200-year event.
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of the state Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Brenda Bergeron, explained, “We are talking about rainfall in some areas in the 1,000-year level.”
Connecticut Towns Are Struggling
Many local officials have come out to explain how hard hit their towns have been by this historic weather event. State Senator Eric Berthel opened up about how Oxford is struggling.
He said, “Our infrastructure is broken, our main highway that runs through this town is broken, we have loss of life, we have a loss of businesses, we have people who have significant damages to their homes.”
Heartbreaking Devastation
Senator Richard Blumenthal also explained the tragedy that he was seeing in various towns. A small town named Seymour experienced “heartbreaking and gut-churning devastation,” according to Blumenthal.
The senator also explained that many small businesses “have suffered damage they cannot recover” from.
Flooding Isn’t Common in This Area
Many businesses and residents weren’t expecting this devastation. A majority of businesses do not have flood insurance, mainly because flooding isn’t very common in this region.
However, parts of the northeast of the U.S. have come under frequent flash flood situations in recent years.
Is Climate Change to Blame?
As more areas of the United States began to see more flash flooding events — events they never saw before — experts have come out to explain that this is yet another side effect of climate change.
Climate change can bring about more extreme weather and strong rainfalls. Now, officials like Blumenthal are recognizing this and looking to make Connecticut more resilient.
Resilience Against Climate Change
Blumenthal has stated that climate change impacts everyone, not only the select few.
“Resilience against climate change is not just for the coastline,” he said. “Flash flooding and other disasters affect all of Connecticut. We all have a stake in planning and preparing.”
Downgrading Flood Warnings
While a flash flood emergency was issued by officials on Sunday, this warning was eventually downgraded to a flood warning for parts of Connecticut.
However, officials remain aware that this ongoing flooding event may get worse before it can get better.
Additional Rain
Unfortunately, parts of Connecticut aren’t out of the woods yet. Weather forecasters have called for additional rain to be seen in the Northeast this week, with potential excessive rainfall to take place in Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York.
Around 1 to 2 inches of rainfall is expected, though some regions may see up to 3 inches at the beginning of this week.
