KEENE, New Hampshire (AP):
Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate their homes after a weekend of drenching rain washed out roads and flooded homes in states from North Carolina to New Hampshire.
At least three deaths were blamed on the storm.
New Hampshire Governor John Lynch declared a state of emergency yesterday and called in 500 National Guard members to assist in flood relief.
Transportation Commissioner Carol Murray said police and highway crews blocked damaged roads before dawn, a move that likely prevented injuries.
"A quick assessment is we're probably looking at months, not weeks" to make repairs, she said.
The most severe flooding in New Hampshire was in Keene, where some major roads were under as much as four to six feet (one to two metres) of water, fire officials said. Keene Fire Chief Gary Lamoureaux estimated 30 to 40 per cent of the downtown area was under water. Keene State College cancelled Monday classes and told out-of-town students to stay away.
About 500 people were evacuated, and about 150 were staying at a shelter in a recreation centre yesterday. In nearby Stoddard, residents were also told to leave. Officials heard reports that houses washed into rivers, dams were breached and bridges in several communities were washed out.
