Jul 2, 2009 2:22 pm US/Eastern
Heavy Rain, Floods, Lightning Hit Several Towns
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Heavy rain washed out Meetinghouse Hill Road in Sterling Thursday.
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Smoke is seen moments after the steeple was hit by lightning.
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Another flooded section of Meetinghouse Hill Road in Sterling.
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Lightning struck this house on Rockwood Terrace in Medford Thursday morning, sparking a fire.
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Drivers on Storrow Drive couldn't avoid the large puddles on the road.
WBZ
There is a flash flood watch in effect for most of southern New England through Thursday evening.
Read: WBZ Weather Blog
Intense showers and thunderstorms this morning brought lightning, which sparked a few fires, and caused flooding in several towns.
Watch: Latest Forecast
FLOODING
State Police Lt. David Wilson said the rain backed up traffic along parts of the Massachusetts Turnpike as well as Route 20 in the Grafton, Milbury, Auburn and Charlton areas.
Watch: Raw Video - Storrow Dr. Flooding
There were also reports of flooding on Interstate 290 near Route 122 in Worcester.
WBZ's Rich Kirkland said some drivers abandoned their cars in the rising water.
Watch: Raw Video - Chestnut Hill Flooding
North of Worcester in Sterling, several roads are washed out and there is major flooding in town.
Watch: Raw Video - Sterling Flooding
Carl Aveni of the National Weather Service in Taunton said the hardest hit areas appear to be Sterling and just north in Leominster.
Home are flooded and some houses have reportedly been hit by lightning.
LIGHTNING STRIKES
In Medway, a church steeple was struck by lightning on Main Street, sparking a fire.
A home on Rockwood Terrace in Medford was also hit.
Watch: Raw Video - Medford Home Aftermath
Deputy fire chief Steve Howe told WBZ lightning struck the house, setting it on fire. The flames got into the walls, which made it difficult for firefighters to reach.
The fire ended up taking out a closet and damaging a sun porch.
No one was hurt.
It was the second fire caused by lightning in Medford Thursday.
Upton Police Chief Michael Bradley told WBZ a woman reported her husband was struck by lightning during the storm.
He said the man appeared to be o.k. but was taken to Milford Regional Hospital for evaluation as a precaution.
Stay with
wbztv.com and WBZ-TV for the latest forecasts.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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