Flooding Causing Emergencies in Massachusetts, New Hampshire

Sunday, May 14, 2006 FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Gov. Mitt Romney declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts on Sunday as heavy rain soaked the region flooding basements, closing roads and threatening mud slides. The declaration activates the National Guard and various state services to help communities respond to the storm. "We have in fact had a couple of communities that have experienced some high levels of flooding," Romney said from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency bunker in Framingham. By Sunday morning, Boston had picked up 4.35 inches of rain in 24 hours. Farther north, Newburyport collected 5.83 inches over the same period, according to the National Weather Service. In New Hampshrie, Gov. John Lynch activated the National Guard as torrential rain washed out roads, flowed over dams and forced people from their homes — all while forecasters predicted more heavy rain on the way. "It's a very serious situation," Lynch said, adding that forecasters were predicting 12 to 15 inches of rain by the end of the storm in parts of southern New Hampshire. "It continues to change and the situation continues to worsen." Thanks to foxnews for this report.