Torrential rains cause flash flood in Lakeport

LACONIA — Torrential rains pounded the Lakes Region for several hours Thursday evening, causing flash floods in some areas, overwhelming storm drains and washing out part of a street in Lakeport.

Rainfall totals for the day were 2½ inches in Laconia, and 3¼ inches in Gilford, based on measurements taken by local volunteer weather observers, according to Brendon Hoch, a regional coordinator for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network.

Thursday’s rains brought the total rainfall for the month in both Laconia and Gilford to just over 12 inches, he said.

The most serious damage occurred on Clinton Street in Laconia, where one section of the street washed out, sending water cascading down the street which resulted in flooded basements in two nearby homes, according to authorities. The rushing water moved large amounts of soil and rocks down one hilly section of the street which was under construction for the installation of new water, sewer, and storm drain lines.

In addition, a Court Street business suffered some flooding.

The problems on Clinton Street began at about 9 p.m. when the storm drains could no longer handle the volume of rain, which caused water to spew out through the grate of one of the catch basins. That sent the water rushing down the street, ripping up areas of pavement and gouging deep gullies into the unpaved portions of the street.

“It was like what would happen to a gravel road,” Public Works Director Wes Anderson explained as he surveyed the damage Friday morning.

Anderson said his department was notified at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday. The heavy rains continued unabated for another two hours, he said.

Teresa Miller, of 87 Clinton St., was at home throughout the storm. While her house suffered no damage, she said her next-door neighbors who live immediately downhill had 3 feet of water in their basement.

As the water started to overrun the street, Miller said her husband rushed outside and used rocks and chunks of pavement to build an impromptu dike to direct the water away from their house.

Ember Stokes who lives at 16 Willow St., off Clinton Street at the bottom of the hill, said at one point the water pouring down the street was “like a rushing river.” At the height of the storm there was 2 feet of water in her basement, she said. By mid-morning Friday the depth of the water was down to 10 inches.

One section of Clinton Street remained impassable Friday morning, but those living in houses on the uphill side of the washout portion could leave the area by a connecting street at the top of the hill.

In the South End of the city, Lakes Region Party and Gift, at 292 Court St., had some flooding when the nearby Durkee Brook overflowed, according to Fire Chief Kirk Beattie. He said the water was about 2 inches deep in one part of the store.

“They lost some stock,” he said.

There was deep water in two of the city’s busiest intersections — McIntyre Circle, and at the junction of Messer Street and Union Avenue.

The heavy rains also created problems in the area of Plantation Drive and Endicott Street East (Route 11B) in Weirs Beach, as well as on Crockett Road which runs off Parade just north of South Down.

In Alton, some minor flooding and washouts were reported on Depot Street and School Street, in the downtown area, and on Halls Hill Road near the Gilmanton town line, according to Town Administrator Elizabeth Dionne.