"Record-Breaking Flood"... Vermont Declares State of Emergency Due to Heavy Rainfall

Up to 230mm of Heavy Rain in Vermont, USA
117 Rescued Amid Torrential Downpour

Heavy rain poured down in Vermont in the northeastern United States, flooding not only roads but also homes, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency.

According to the US daily newspaper The New York Times (NYT) and others on the 11th (local time), up to 230mm of concentrated heavy rain fell across Vermont from the previous day until the morning of the 11th. Due to this heavy rain, many roads in Vermont were submerged, and some residents even traveled by canoe. The media explained that more than a month's worth of rainfall fell over the weekend.

On the 11th (local time), heavy rain fell in Montpelier, Vermont, USA, as residents checked the damage situation. [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The state authorities are focusing on rescue operations to prevent casualties, having rescued 117 people from flooded homes and vehicles. Vermont Governor Phil Scott said, "The widespread destruction and flooding across Vermont are unprecedented and catastrophic." The state capital, Montpelier, extended the downtown curfew issued until noon that day by three hours, until 3 p.m.

The state authorities reported that this is the highest rainfall recorded since Hurricane Irene in 2011, which caused 40 deaths and brought 280mm of rain. Due to this heavy rain, the water level of the Winooski River passing through Montpelier rose 30cm higher than during Hurricane Irene in 2011, and the Wrightsville Dam located north of the city nearly reached its full reservoir capacity, almost necessitating water discharge.

In response, President Joe Biden, who was visiting Lithuania to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, declared a state of emergency in Vermont that morning and instructed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with recovery and relief efforts.

Meanwhile, heavy rain also caused damage in various parts of South Korea. On the same day, a sudden downpour of 64.5mm per hour occurred in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and strong rain reaching 61mm fell in Wonju, Gangwon Province, resulting in widespread damage in the metropolitan area as well as in Daegu, Gwangju, and Gangwon.

In Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, a man in his 70s who was walking along a riverside was swept away by the rising water and died due to the heavy rain. In addition, there were continuous reports of damage such as fallen trees, flooding of homes and roads, and concerns about river overflows.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.