News: Aug. 8 Downpour Leads to Double-Whammy Flash Floods on Furious Friday – Top

The Merrimack Valley faced its second extreme flooding in 10 days on Friday morning, as a National Weather Service alert announced the effects at 10:20 a.m.

“This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the alert stated. “Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.”

The National Weather Services in Boston and Norton recommended people move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building for their protection. It also said to expect damage to roofs, siding and trees.

The Doppler radar shortly after 10 a.m. indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the area. The storms did not lighten up until about 11:40 a.m., and blue skies reappeared closer to noon.

Friday’s impact, according to the report, was life threatening around creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Flash flooding was experienced in Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen, Andover, North Andover, Reading, North Reading and Boxford.

“Recent flooding throughout the Merrimack Valley continues to be a cause of immense concern for our residents. The anxiety of further damage to houses and local businesses along with the potential threat of displacement only grows when the forecast predicts rain. This has all had a very personal impact on my constituents,” said Rep. Ryan Hamilton. “My office, along with our partners at the local, state, and federal levels, is here to assist any Haverhill or Methuen residents who have experienced flood damage to their property.”

Lawrence Fire Chief Brian Moriarty said his firefighters helped a woman escape the flooding. A couple of his crew members on South Street were wading in what bystanders called 2-feet of water.

“It’s not as bad as the other day,” Moriarty said.

Andover Police Department wrote on Facebook that officers and the highway department were aware of flooding in areas of Lowell Street at the Internal Revenue Service, at 310 Lowell St., Haverhill Street by the railroad bridge, as well as most of North Main Street. The post said the issue was “especially” severe in the area by Washington Park and Route 495.

Businesses were flooded for the second time in 10 days at Shawsheen Plaza in Andover, at 2019 N. Main St., according to Andover Fire Chief Mike Mansfield.

Haverhill handled about a dozen calls due to the flooding, according to the city’s Fire Deputy Chief Robert O’Brien.

“Fortunately for everybody, it came quick but we handled it and it’s now calmed down,” O’Brien said. “Some of them were worried about flooding because of what happened 10 days ago.”

O’Brien said that there was “clearly” a lot of water on the main streets, but he did not hear of any issues with particular areas like the flood on Aug. 8.

Elsewhere in the region, residents saw thunderstorms and were under flood watches in Rockingham and Strafford Counties in New Hampshire.

The National Weather Service said a tornado appeared over Johnston, R.I., on Friday morning. There were no immediate reports of damage in the area.

Matthew Belk, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Boston office, said a cold front arriving later on Friday could produce another round of showers and thunderstorms.

The next significant rainfall predicted for Eastern Massachusetts is on Friday, Aug. 25.

Many cities were already working to receive assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency from the last flood.

Haverhill’s Mayor James Fiorentini declared a State of Emergency following the storm on Aug. 8. In order to be eligible for state and federal compensation, he asked residents to complete a post flood damage claim to assess the monetary damage. North Andover and Methuen asked the same of their residents.

“We’re at a point in the summer where the ground is just saturated,” Methuen Mayor Neil Perry said. “We’re going to urge everybody to use great caution. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a summer when it’s rained this hard, this often.”

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