Record floods impact thousands in Rhode Island and Massachusetts
As rivers recede, thousands seek flood aid and disaster response organizations assess needs. 
BY SANDIE GARCIA | BALTIMORE | April 3, 2010 More than 11,000 residents of Rhode Island and Massachusetts have already applied for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following historic flooding that has hit the region. While some survivors will spend the weekend digging through water-logged possessions, others are still unable to return home until nearby rivers crest early next week. Emergency officials in Rhode Island, hard-hit by flooding this week, were particularly concerned about the number of businesses impacted by the disaster. The state’s unemployment rate was already one of the highest in the nation. According to the National Weather Service, Massachusetts, New Jersey and parts of New York City set March rainfall records. And by Tuesday afternoon, Rhode Island joined them, with more than 15 inches of rain recorded. National Guard troops have been deployed in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Bridges and highways were washed out from Maine to Connecticut and sewage systems were overwhelmed to the point that families were asked to stop flushing toilets. Rhode Island fared the worst in the northeast flooding, with nine inches of rain in East Providence, eight inches in downtown Providence and five inches in Cranston. “None of us alive have seen the flooding that we are experiencing now or going to experience,” Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri said. “This is unprecedented in our state’s history.” … “There is hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. All the rivers, streams, highways, have been blocked off pretty much everywhere. The damage was extensive right across the board. We don’t even have a real handle of it yet. I mean, you take a flight over the state there’s so much water, its mind-boggling. … The heavy rain is just another setback to Rhode Island, which has struggled for months with an unemployment rate nearing 13 percent. This is 3 percent higher than the national average. … “The FEMA people are still here from the last storm. Now they’ve sent additional people for this storm. Two weeks ago, the Pawtuxet River went six feet over flood level, and that was crazy. This time it went 12 feet over flood level causing much more widespread damage. The whole state is buried,” said Kass. “None of us alive have seen the flooding that we are experiencing now or going to experience,” Gov. Don Carcieri said this week. “This is unprecedented in our state’s history.” …
