Soaking rain has been unfolding Monday in much of southern New England, resulting in several flash flood warnings in Rhode Island, including Bristol, Kent and Providence counties.
NECN and NBC10 Boston remain in a First Alert through Tuesday due to the impact on travel and the potential for localized flooding due to runoff into low-lying areas.
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Significant flash flooding is ongoing in Providence and Cranston. Some roads have been closed and are impassable due to the heavy rain.
According to Rhode Island State Police and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, Route 10 in Providence is closed in both directions due to flooding near Union Avenue. All travel lanes of Interstate 95 south are blocked at Exit 18/Thurbers Avenue in Providence, and at Exit 16 in Cranston. I-95 is also shut down in both directions at Eddy Street due to flooding. Drivers must seek alternate routes.
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A Twitter user shared video with NECN and NBC10 Boston showing the highway shutdown at Exit 18.
An image shared with NECN and NBC10 Boston shows traffic at a standstill just before waist deep water on the roadway ahead of Exit 17.
Another image from Andrew Glover shows a car submerged in water outside his home on Pleasant Valley Parkway in Providence. The torrential rain swept the man’s SUV down a flooded embankment with rushing water.
A small group of Glover's neighbors, including Rodolfo Flores, jumped into action to rescue the man who was trapped in his submerged SUV.
“I run and I jumped inside the water and I tried to put the window down. Nothing was going to happen, Flores said speaking to NBC10 Boston. "So, the only way to remove the guy is to break the window.”
“I smashed the window with my right arm,” added Flores, who injured his arm in the process. "The car was already full of water...You couldn't see his eyes. He was almost completely inside the water."
While the middle-aged man was pulled out of the driver’s seat with water above his eyes, he did not require any medical attention, according to Flores.
Flores was treated at the scene for multiple cuts.
“You don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” Flores noted, “probably you’re going to need help from somebody else. So, I did it for him.”
Gov. Dan McKee said Monday evening he had a flash flood briefing with state police, transportation and emergency officials. Rhode Islanders are urged to avoid all unnecessary travel.
McKee said there are crews working to clear clogged drains on I-95, Routes 10 and 6 in order to reopen roads. The state department of transportation added that heavy rains created a capacity issues.
State police are also working to get stalled vehicles off the roads and to safety.
Providence police have directed drivers to avoid several streets and intersections in the area due to flooding that has made the roads not passable.
- Interstate 95 North and South at Thurbers Ave
- Hartford Ave/Heath St
- Smith St/Gentian Ave
- 1 Exchange St
- Pleasant Valley Pkwy/Berlin St
- 620 Huntington Ave
- 993 Manton Ave
- Valley St/Eagle St
- 1 Sabin Street
- Plainfield Street/Atwood Street
- Hayward Street/Pearl Street
Drivers should seek alternate routes in these areas, as well as anywhere else that may be flooded. Do not try to travel through flooded roadways. Cars continue to stall in flood water.
Remember, turn around, don't drown.
Four inches of rain had fallen Monday as of 4:30 p.m., and at least another 1-3" is still coming. As such, we expect to see more reports of flooded roads through the remainder of the day.
Elsewhere in Providence Monday, a building collapsed on Peace Street amid the heavy rain. Police said no one was injured.
Later Monday night, dangerous conditions persisted in Providence. The West River was out of its banks on Charles Street, and at least three vehicles were stuck in the water.
