Sep 7, 2008 4:24 pm US/Eastern
Manchester Hit Hard By Tropical Storm Hanna
MANCHESTER, N.H. (WBZ) ―
While the greater Boston area seemed to escape the worst of Tropical Storm Hanna, some of the hardest hit places were up north in New Hampshire.
A lot of rain fell in a very short time in areas like downtown Manchester, where WBZ's Jim Smith reports about two-and-a-half inches of rain fell in a 90-minute period, and some places even saw three inches of rain in that time span. "We've had an incredible amount of rain in a short time, and it's having a big impact," said Manchester's mayor, Frank Guinta.
The rapid rainfall resulted in significant flooding in Manchester. Daniel Webster Highway – not far from Rt. 93 – at the intersection of Hooksett Road and Campbell Street is completely shut down and under a few feet of water. Smith reports the water is pouring out of the top of a sewer drain near the intersection and flowing down the street and into adjacent neighborhoods.
The flooding came so quickly, firefighters had to use a boat to rescue seven to 10 people from cars that were submerged in water. The public works department in Manchester responded to more than 200 calls about flooding by early Sunday evening.
The heavy rains and flooding also forced several
restaurants and business in Manchester to close their doors early.
Manchester police say they have six feet of water sitting in the department's parking garage.
New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch is in Manchester to tour the damage left by Hanna. Guinta is touring affected neighborhoods in the city as well.
Storm waters also led to roads being closed in Hollis, Laconia and other communities.
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