Nearly 100 patients had to be evacuated from a flooded Massachusetts hospital on Sunday as huge storms wreaked havoc across the northea...
Nearly 100 patients had to be evacuated from a flooded Massachusetts hospital on Sunday as huge storms wreaked havoc across the northeast.
Eight feet of water ripped through the basement of Norwood Hospital, tearing down doors and forcing terrified workers to sprint to safety as a refrigerator and a vending machine started floating.
Around 20 patients from the intensive care unit were evacuated after 7pm and were taken to another hospital. Later in the evening, when the department still had no power due to water damage, between 60 and 70 patients were transported away.
The emergency department was also closed off and is still shut this morning.
Luckily no-one was injured in the sudden flooding and water is still being pumped out of the basement by workers today.
Nearly 100 patients had to be evacuated from flooded Norwood Hospital (the flooded car park, pictured) in Massachusetts on Sunday as huge storms wreaked havoc across the northeast
Eight feet of water ripped through the basement of Norwood Hospital, tearing down doors and forcing terrified workers to sprint to safety as a refrigerator and a vending machine started floating. Pictured: Cars in the hospital's car park were submerged in flood water
A car was almost completely underwater after severe storms stuck Norwood yesterday
At least 26 million Americans are being hit by waves of severe storms which are causing chaos across the eastern states. Pictured: A submerged car in Norwood
It seems Massachusetts are baring the brunt of the bad weather as a flash flood emergency warning in Norwood (pictured) was issued to last through to 7pm Sunday evening
It marked the first time The National Weather Service issued such a warning for the area since Storm Arthur brought chaos to Norwood (flooding yesterday pictured) in 2014
The chief of the Norwood Police Department dubbed the the flooding an 'extraordinary weather event'
Hospital food services worker Michael Ware told Boston 25 News: 'It was something like a movie, it was like we were running away from water when it burst open all the doors in the basement.
'Kitchen appliances, everything in the basement is currently floating. Even if it’s heavy, it doesn’t matter, it’s floating.'
Cars in the hospital's car park were entirely submerged in flood water.
Norwood General Manager Tony Mazzucco told NBC: 'Thankfully no one was injured as the result of the power outage, and the most critical patients were moved out of the hospital.
'Crews are working to restore power back to the hospital and remove water in the building.'
Heavy downpours made it near impossible for cars to navigate through severely-flooded roads
Water was seen rushing through the streets in the region yesterday, leaving cars stranded. In one area, the water lifted two manhole covers and sent them careening down the road
A tree blew down into the road as devastating storms struck Massachusetts yesterday
Flash flooding caused damage to roads in Norwood (left) and flooded car parks as the storms moved in
At least 26 million Americans are being hit by waves of severe storms which are causing chaos across the eastern states.
It seems Massachusetts are baring the brunt of the bad weather as a flash flood emergency warning in Norwood was issued to last through to 7pm Sunday evening.
It marked the first time The National Weather Service issued such a warning for the area since Storm Arthur brought chaos to Norwood in 2014.
Water was seen rushing through the streets in the region yesterday, leaving cars stranded.
In one area, the water lifted two manhole covers and sent them careening down the road.
On Sunday, storms moved through eastern Missouri, to Southern Illinois and Indiana.
An additional 2-3 inches of rainfall was expected to hit Kentucky which, alongside the other states, was at risk of flash flooding after already taking a hefty hit on Friday.
Video from Chicago morning radio host Joe Cicero showed heavy rain, strong winds and lightning hitting Illinois on Friday.
Severe thunderstorms are set for the North East on Tuesday and Wednesday and outdoor plans will be disrupted
But a fresh warning came as a line of storms moved southeast through Kentucky and Tennessee, making its way into Virginia and the Carolinas.
The southeast has endured some gusty winds this weekend, with a reported tornado in Alabama making up some of 100 reports of severe weather.
Iowa and southern Minnesota were most at risk of seeing tornadoes.
As well as damaging winds across the southern Appalachians, the northern high plains and upper Midwest was at risk of severe storms too.
Ahead of a frontal system affecting the Upper Mississippi Valley and portions of the Lower Ohio Valley, storms were predicted to develop in New England on Sunday afternoon, with Boston, Hartford, New York City, Des Moines and Charlotte named some of the major cities where the weather system could strike.
Forecasts showed large hail.
Large hail and torrential downpours, combined with damaging wind gusts of up to 70mph were expected in Minnesota and Nebraska on Sunday
Heavy storms were set to cause travel disruptions on Sunday night as a line of storms moved southeast through Kentucky and Tennessee, making its way into Virginia and the Carolinas
Monday morning, more of the East Coast was set to see showers and thunderstorms
The stormy pattern was set to continue into the midweek which is also braced for damaging s travel disruptions
Severe thunderstorms are set for the North East going into Tuesday and Wednesday and outdoor plans will be disrupted, an Accuweather forecast shows.
Meanwhile a cold front is expected to bring winds to the west, posing a risk of fire growth and spread from Colorado to California.
Salt Lake City, Utah saw a fire break out overnight on Saturday. On Sunday fire danger was expected for the Central Great Basin and Southwest.
Meanwhile the biggest Saharan dust storm in 50 years was still ongoing and affecting Florida, Texas and other states already struggling with COVID-19 and respiratory problems.
The so-called 'Gorilla Dust Cloud' struck Mississippi's gulf coast Thursday after charting its path across the Caribbean this week where air quality plunged to 'hazardous' levels.
The 3,500-mile-long cloud traveled 5,000 miles from North Africa before reaching the region stretching from Florida west into Texas and north into North Carolina through Arkansas, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
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