Rhode Island

Flooding Was So Bad in Providence It Filled This Empty Pool With Brown Water

"The whole bottom of the pool is filled with mud," the home's owner told WJAR

A Providence, Rhode Island, pool flooded with storm runoff.
WJAR-TV

The flooding that caused major disruptions in Rhode Island played havoc with a family's home, creating a gross sight in their back yard.

Storm runoff filled the empty pool in their backyard home with brown water, owner Ricky Fernandes told NBC affiliate WJAR Tuesday.

The water would have gone into the storm drain, but it was overwhelmed, and it filled the street and flowed into the backyard through his neighbor's fence. The pool's lining was damaged.

"We got it replaced this summer but now it's ruined again," Fernandes told the station. "The whole bottom of the pool is filled with mud."

Heavy rain Monday sparked flash flooding in Providence and the surrounding area.

It's just one illustration of the immense flooding to hit the area over the holiday weekend. Providence got 8.56 inches of rain by Tuesday; Cranston had more than 11 inches.

Part of Interstate 95 was flooded on Labor Day, and nearby, a commercial building on Peace Street collapsed.

"The last thing I felt was water, like, around my legs," said Jerry Batista, the property's owner, who narrowly escaped as the roof collapsed. "There must've been a lake on top of that thing."

Twenty-five people were rescued from floodwaters in Providence Monday, according to the city's Department of Emergency Management. None were hurt.

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