WESTMINSTER — Late last week, Windham County was added to Gov. Peter Shumlin's request to President Obama for federal disaster aid, according to Westminster Town Manager Sonia Alexander.
A brief, but intense, thunderstorm that dumped more than 4 inches of rain on Westminster West and adjoining parts of Rockingham and Saxtons River on May 20 led to flash flooding and massive washouts, particularly on Westminster's Bemis Hill, Hitchcock and Kimball Hill, and Hartley Hill roads, as well as in Rockingham at the lower end of Hartley Hill.
Roads are open in Westminster and Rockingham following almost a week's worth of cleanup and work by road crews from those towns.
Alexander said that the unofficial figure for damage to roads and bridges in Windham County is around $168,000.
“We met with the FEMA representatives [last week] to survey the damage,” Alexander said. “They anticipated we would be eligible for funding.”
Alexander added that if Westminster did not qualify for FEMA assistance, state disaster relief funds were available, but that she would wait to hear before applying for that money.
The damage in Windham County is a small part of a growing flood disaster in Vermont. The state is struggling with record-breaking flood waters along Lake Champlain, and the rainiest spring on record in northern and central Vermont.
On top of the millions of dollars of damage from the Lake Champlain flooding, even more flood damage was done to Waterbury, Barre, Montpelier, and St. Johnsbury last Thursday night and Friday. A band of violent thunderstorms along the Winooski River deposited up to 7 inches of rain in a six-hour period, flooding downtown areas and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents.