MIDCOAST — The highly damaging storm that swept into the Midcoast has washed out roads and flooded basements nonstop since early morning, Oct. 31.

Fire departments are out in full force responding to flooded roads in Appleton, Hope, Rockland, Rockport, Warren and other towns, as well as flooded basements and one car in a sudden sinkhole. Route 17 is closed near Grassy Pond and traffic is being rerouted.

Some roads, such Robinson Drive, in Rockport, are completely washed out, and will be impassable until repair.

A Camden rain gauge collected 5.5 inches of rain, the result of a convergence of two fronts along the coastal plain, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS predicted possible 2 to 4 inches of rain. That was exceeded locally, with rain pounding the area in the early morning hours of Oct. 31.

Multiple places around Hope became impassable as of 7:15 a.m. The National Weather Service, in Gray, extended the current FLOOD WARNING for Knox County until 12:30 p.m.

“People should stay home,” advised one fire chief.

In the midst of it all, a car-deer collision and ambulance calls have occurred, keeping Knox Regional Communications Center, the 911 dispatch in Rockland, busy handling a constant stream of first responder calls.

Several Rockland residents in the neighborhood of Maple and Cedar streets had their power cut after 5 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 31, as a precaution when flooded basements rose high enough to cover the homes’ electrical panels. 

For more than three hours, early Sunday morning, fire department and Public Works crews in Rockland investigated a steady stream of calls to 911 related to the heavy rain storm that walloped most of Maine overnight. Along with fears of electrical panel reactions, some homeowners reported broken sump pumps, sewage backups, clogged storm drains, and broken pipes spouting water into the roadways. 

Issues were also addressed on the Bog Road, Schooner Drive, Mechanic and Thomaston streets. 

The rest of the region dealt with similar reports, from Vinalhaven to Hope, Camden and beyond. 

Route 17 in Hope is closed near Grassy Pond due to flooding, as well as Robbins Road and others.

The same for a section of Oyster River Road in Warren.

As of 8 a.m., a portion of Route 17, in Rockport has been closed starting at the Route 90 intersection.

The Peabody Road in Appleton is closed, as well as a portion of the Sennebec Road. 

In South Thomaston, a portion of Waterman’s Beach Road is closed.

Send your flood photos to news@penbaypilot.com