RI gov. warns of worst flooding in over 100 years; Boston rainfall record broken

RI gov. warns of worst flooding in over 100 years

CRANSTON, R.I. — Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri (kuh-CHEER’-ee) is asking residents to get home by dinnertime to avoid what he says is the worst flooding to hit the state in more than 100 years.

Carcieri says Interstate 95 might have to be closed because of the water, which is expected to continue to rise until at least early Wednesday.

National Guard troops have been activated in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and troops in Connecticut have been put on alert as the second major rain storm of the month continues to pound the Northeast.

The National Weather Service says the city of Boston has shattered an all-time rainfall record for the month of March with nearly 13 inches of rain.

Providence, R.I., is within an inch of breaking the city’s all-time monthly record.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

BOSTON (AP) — The city of Boston has shattered an all-time rainfall record for the month of March.

The National Weather Service said that as of 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, nearly 13 inches of rain had fallen on the city during the month. Up to 2 1/2 inches of additional rain expected by the evening.

The previous record for March was 11 inches in 1953.

Forecasters said it was also the fourth wettest of any month since records were kept starting in 1872.

Providence, R.I. had received about 7.2 inches of rain from the current storm as of 10 a.m., pushing the monthly rainfall total to 14.7 inches. Forecasters said the city was on track to break its all-time monthly record of 15.38 inches, set in October 2005.