WILTON — A downpour of rain Tuesday night caused a flash flood on Route 133 after a drain was plugged, police secretary Tiffany White said Wednesday.

White, who plans to attend a 100-hour police training course, was riding along with officer Josh King when it started to pour. The water backed up and trees and debris were floating in the road, White said.

The flash flood occurred between Hammond Road and McCrillis Corner Road. King cleared what he could from the roadway to make it safe and the Maine Department of Transportation was called in to take care of the state road.

National Weather Service observer Dennis Pike of Farmington said a total of 2.24 inches of rain fell Tuesday in Farmington. Of that, 1.83 inches fell in the afternoon and .41 inches fell between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Farmington has already received 38 inches of rain this year and Pike said he expects the annual amount to exceed the 100-year annual average of nearly 45 inches before 2009 is over. If it happens, it will be the third consecutive year that the average has been exceeded, Pike said.

Franklin County Emergency Management Assistant Director Olive Toothaker said the rain came down so fast Tuesday afternoon that it was going over the ditches.

County Director Tim Hardy and Farmington Road Commissioner Denis Castonguay did check out several places, Toothaker said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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