Dozens rescued after storm brings historic high tide, severe flooding to Boston area

BOSTON (WHDH) – Thursday’s nor’easter brought historic, dangerous and potentially-deadly flooding to the Boston and its coastline.

Severe flooding on Boston’s Atlantic Avenue Thursday afternoon prompted a massive emergency response.

Firefighters could be seen rescuing drivers with boats after the high tide left the area under water. The National Weather Service Boston reported the area was nearing the highest ever recorded tide. NWS Boston said the previous record was set back in 1978 with 4.82 feet.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen the water come this high up in this downtown area,” said Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn.

Finn said the buildings in the busy area have all received a great amount of water. Crews will go building-by-building to determine what they have to shut down, according to the commissioner.

“We don’t want to shut anything down if we don’t have to, but we also want to err on the side of safety, that we certainly don’t want a fire to be sparked down here,” said Finn.

Fire officials said there was water down in the T on the Blue Line and the Aquarium T station has been closed due to the flooding. Transit Police posted a video of water gushing into the stop from the street above. Fire officials said the flooding spread to about five blocks around the Aquarium T station, with the water reaching 3 feet deep in some areas.

Boston firefighters responded to a car trapped in rising floodwaters near Neoponset Circle and pulled a trapped driver from the vehicle. The driver was not injured.

Throughout the Seaport, flood waters turned the streets into frozen rivers.

“Everything was flooded up to our ankles and the plow trucks were plowing the water back into the ocean but it’s pretty much ice and slush and it’s a big mess outside right now,” said Brittany Capozziello.

Here are videos of the flooding gathered from around the region:

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