PORTLAND — A storm that rolled through Maine brought record-setting rainfall — enough to wash out roads, cause street flooding and damage scores of cars. Powerful thunderstorms also knocked out electricity for thousands of customers.
The 24-hour total for Wednesday’s storm was 6.28 inches at the Portland International Jetport. That’s a record for the date, and it’s fifth on the all-time list, said Mike Kistner from the National Weather Service.
Trees and limbs fell onto power lines, leaving more than 6,000 Central Maine Power and Emera Maine customers in the dark. In Portland, manhole covers were blown off. Roads were closed across the state.
By Thursday morning, the flood waters had receded, most roads were open and the sun was out.
There were no reports of serious injuries.
“Damage reports so far have been minimal, but we are urging Mainers to stay safe and take all precautions when dealing with flooded basements and roads, as well as any downed power lines,” said Gov. Paul LePage.
At the height of the storm, more than 4 inches of rain fell in a 2-hour period. In Portland, some parked cars floated into roadways, and water shot out of manholes like geysers, Kistner said. About 3 feet of standing water damaged scores of cars in one parking lot alone at a Portland motel.
The storm could’ve been much worse.
The heaviest rain fell on the coast instead of in the mountains, where the rain would have caused dangerous fast-moving flash floods, Kistner said. “We had some cars damaged and some washouts, but luckily we didn’t hear about any major injuries or fatalities,” he said.
More than 2,800 without power in northern Maine
ISLAND FALLS, Maine (AP) — Utility crews are inspecting power lines in the Island Falls area after more than 2,800 people in northern Maine lost power.
Utility Emera Maine says 2,825 people are without power on Thursday, almost all in Aroostook County. A few outages are also happening in Hancock and Penobscot counties.
The utility says in a statement that the outage is primarily affecting customers in Island Falls, Crystal, Patten, Sherman, Stacyville, Dyer Brook and Oakfield. The utility expected power will be restored Thursday afternoon. It has not determined the cause of the outage.
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- Scarborough resident Adam Chick waits for help early Thursday morning in his car, which was disabled by high water on State Street in Portland’s Deering Oaks Park. The record-breaking storm dropped more than 6 inches of rain in parts of southern Maine in a few hours, according to the National Weather Service – more than twice the average total for the month of August. Chick said a police officer waved him through and cautioned him to proceed slowly, moments before his car stalled in the water. Chick’s was the last vehicle to enter the water before police closed the street.
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- Scarborough resident Adam Chick waits for help early Thursday morning in his car, which was disabled by high water on State Street in Portland’s Deering Oaks Park. The record-breaking storm dropped more than 6 inches of rain in parts of southern Maine in a few hours, according to the National Weather Service – more than twice the average total for the month of August. Chick said a police officer waved him through and cautioned him to proceed slowly, moments before his car stalled in the water. Chick’s was the last vehicle to enter the water before police closed the street.
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- A car approaches the intersection of Forest Avenue and Marginal Way early Thursday morning after torrential rains caused widespread flooding in low-lying areas of Portland. Just ahead sit two cars that were abandoned by their drivers.
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- A crosswalk is obliterated by floodwater early Thursday morning on State Street in Portland’s Deering Oaks Park.
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- South Portland resident Mary Ann Ericson, right, uses her vantage point to guide her sister around standing water early Thursday morning on State Street in Portland’s Deering Oaks Park.
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- Portland resident Nick Rausch prepares to walk through knee-deep water early Thursday morning on State Street in Deering Oaks Park. Water from the duck pond overflowed its banks and poured across the street in the wake of torrential rains.
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- H.P. Hood employees Don Miller, left, and Dave Ramsay survey the flood damage early Thursday morning outside the dairy on Park Avenue in Portland. More than a dozen cars were abandoned in the roadway.
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- Windham resident Alex Aube rests against his pickup truck early Thursday morning while storm water spirals down an open manhole on Park Avenue in Portland. Aube said he used his truck to tow about 10 vehicles out of water in five spots in Portland – Forest Avenue, Franklin Arterial, Marginal Way, Park Avenue and State Street.
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