A rainstorm formed earlier this week and soaked the Northeast on Tuesday, exacerbating the remaining effects of another major storm from two weeks ago. Although Tuesday was a rough and rainy day for most in the region, Rhode Island appeared to fare the worst.
"We're just all ready to throw the keys on the counter and walk out of the houses," one Cranston, Rhode Island, resident said. "It's at that point now, you know?"
The storm dumped 8.75 inches of rain in East Providence, 7.6 inches in downtown Providence and 5 inches in Cranston, all in Rhode Island, said Tom Econopouly, a senior hydrologist at the Northeast River Forecast Center in Taunton, Massachusetts.
"I can turn on the jet skis and go for a ride," one Rhode Island woman said. "What can you do? Mother Nature's winning."
All eyes were on the Pawtuxet River, which runs through Cranston. The river crested at 20.79 feet Wednesday, nearly 12 feet above flood stage, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Advanced Hydrometeorological Service. The water level began a slow decline during the day but remained above 20 feet at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
"We have some historic flooding going on in places we've never had flooding before. We have numerous streets that are closed, and they're telling us the worst is still yet to come," said Cranston Police Lt. Stephen Antonucci.
Cranston Mayor Allan Fung said the city was facing dire circumstances, even though the weather was now cooperating.
"One of my sewer pump stations just failed, so it's some bad news for many of the residents," he told ABC's "Good Morning America." He said the city was asking people to conserve water.
About 130 homes have been evacuated, many voluntarily, he said. Schools were closed, as were some roads. "It's some very dangerous conditions," he told ABC.
