The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flash flood warning for parts of eastern Massachusetts on Thursday, July 10, after heavy rainfall swallowed a portion of a busy highway outside Boston.
As of 10 a.m. local time, the flash flood warning was in effect for Boston and at least a dozen surrounding towns until 11:15 a.m. A flood watch, which is less severe than a warning, is in effect throughout most of Massachusetts until 4 p.m., NWS said.
“The heaviest rainfall associated with this warning has passed, but many roads remain flooded,” NWS Boston said in the warning.
Portions of Interstate 93, which connects Boston to neighboring suburbs, were impacted by flooding, according to the Massachusetts State Police.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation told USA TODAY in a statement that it “strongly encourages drivers to proceed with caution and be mindful of flooded roadways, and to minimize travel as much as possible until flooding subsides.”
Massachusetts is the latest state to be hit by flash floods, following similar events in Texas, North Carolina, and New Mexico throughout July.
Boston highway shut down by flooding
I-93 in Massachusetts was inundated with rainfall during the morning commute, leaving several cars stuck on the roadway, multiple local outlets, including Boston 25 and WCVB, reported.
Some traffic lanes were temporarily closed due to flooding, according to MassDOT, including both the north and southbound lanes at exit 3 in Milton, which borders Boston.
As of 11 a.m. local time, one northbound exit was still closed on I-93, MassDOT said.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency urged motorists not to drive through flooded roads in a post on X, noting that cars can be swept away in two feet of moving water.
USA TODAY has reached out to the Massachusetts State Police about highway rescues in Thursday’s flooding, but has not received a response.
Many states hit with heavy flooding
Outside of Massachusetts, July has seen flash floods turn deadly in several states due to heavy rainfall.
Over a hundred people died in central Texas from flooding that began July 4. Around 170 people are still missing as of July 10, according to officials.
In North Carolina, at least six people died in flooding outside Raleigh on July 6, though state officials told USA TODAY they are awaiting rulings from the medical examiner’s office.
Four people died in New Mexico, including two children, after floods hit Ruidoso, about 180 miles south of Albuquerque, on July 8.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at [email protected].
