Wednesday’s brief but powerful storm brought heavy rains and even some hail, wreaking havoc around the area, knocking down trees and power lines and flooding roads.
“We have been extremely busy,” said a Scarborough emergency dispatcher. No major injuries were reported, though several accidents happened during the storm.
Scarborough seems to have been the hardest hit of the three area towns, reporting numerous downed power lines as well as several flooded roads, with the hardest hit being the Payne Road area between Two Rod Road and Beech Ridge Road. Part of the shoulder of Mitchell Hill Road also collapsed.
In addition to sending out Public Works to fix road issues and getting Central Maine Power to repair power line damage, Scarborough dispatchers also sent units to Gorham for mutual aid.
Cape Elizabeth had few problems, according to dispatchers. The most notable occurrence was a power outage that occurred in at least some areas of town when the storm struck. At 5:45 p.m., as the Current went to press, crews were still trying to repair the damage. Two Lights Road was reported as flooded.
South Portland dispatchers referred calls to a shift supervisor, who could not report a lot because he had just started his shift, but he did say that CMP had shut down the power grid on the western side of town to conduct some repairs. Police were stationed at intersections directing traffic during rush hour.
Several area homes were reported as possibly struck by lightning, and emergency crews throughout the area were going from place to place cordoning off fallen wires and trees, warning drivers about dangerous road conditions and checking on homes and residents.
Scarborough Public Works employees inspect the section of Mitchell Hill Road that collapsed Wednesday afternoon.
A driver crosses the flooded intersection at the corner of Payne Road and Scottow Hill Road in Scarborough Wednesday afternoon.
Steve Gross stands waist-deep in water in his neighbor’s front yard, watching the water flow into a drain near his feet. The garbage can he is holding had blocked the drain for much of Wednesday’s rain storm.
Oleg Naumenko of Scarborough wades through his neighbor’s front lawn Wednesday following a torrential downpour.
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