A 63-year-old Vermont man drowned in his home on Wednesday, as historic flooding overwhelmed many communities throughout the state.
Officials from the Vermont Department of Health confirmed that Stephen Davoll drowned in his home in Barre, as the state suffered some of the worst flooding since 1927, the VTDigger reported. Davoll’s sister-in-law said his body was found submerged in water inside the home, and attributed his death to a “freak accident” related to the ongoing flash floods, according to the outlet.
By Thursday, rescuers had conducted more than 200 water rescues and 100 evacuations throughout the affected area, per VTDigger. Mud and debris lined the streets of Montpelier, the state capital, as roadways turned to waterways.
Downtown #Montpilier #Vermont #VermontFlooding #VermontFlood Aerial video from the crest this morning on the #Winooski #River @jpetramala pic.twitter.com/WUjZWuWJL4
— WxChasing- Brandon Clement (@bclemms) July 11, 2023
The state deployed around 75 soldiers to assist with the clean up and to help with the ongoing rainfall and extreme weather forecast for the coming days, NBC5 reported.
Rain is also forecast for Thursday, with many locals concerned that flash floods will continue to plague their homes into the coming days and possibly weeks. The state suffered a tornado and damaging winds warning in the early hours of Thursday evening, the National Weather Service stated on social media. (RELATED: Flash Floods, Extreme Heat, And An Unrelated Solar Storm To Strike US)
Images across social media show the devastation from the repeat excessive rainfall, with one photo suggesting that waters were waist deep in some parts of Montpelier.