The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning at 6:51 p.m. Tuesday night for the Lewiston/Auburn area.
An alert was sent out to mobile phones in the area reading: “This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.” The warning was in effect until 9:30 p.m.
National Weather Service forecaster Donnie Dumont said Lewiston and Auburn were expected to get the worst of the rain, about 2 to 4 inches by roughly 7:30 p.m. Dumont said the storm settled in a line from the Mechanic Falls area to the Jefferson area in Lincoln County. The storm had been expected to remain stationary, he said.
Lewiston and Auburn roads were the most affected as of 7:45 p.m. with Oak Street in Lewiston having flooded and crews closing it off, said Angela Molino, Androscoggin County Emergency Management Agency Director. That is known to happen, she added. Main Street in Lewiston was closed off and reopened around 7:40 p.m. according to fire crews.
“People need to be safe and not drive through flooded roads,” Molino said. “And folks need to heed warnings from public safety crews.”
In Auburn, close to Taylor Pond and Minot Avenue, some side streets experienced flooding, and some residents reported basements flooding.
This story will be updated.
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