The City of Norwich is preparing for a potentially serious flood Thursday as the National Weather Service is now forecasting major flooding on the Yantic River.
The heaviest rain is expected to arrive Wednesday evening and through the overnight hours into Thursday morning. The Yantic River is forecasted to crest at major flood stage Thursday afternoon.
In preparation for the potential flooding, Norwich city leaders held a conference call Wednesday to coordinate efforts.
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"All of city entities involved in emergency response will be closely monitoring areas that have historically experienced flooding. The public is encouraged to stay off the roads in Norwich unless absolutely necessary for the next 12-15 hours," Norwich Public Utilities shared on their Facebook page.
According to NPU, the city's emergency operations center (EOC) has been opened in a stand-by mode.
Norwich Emergency Management has sandbags available for Norwich residents and businesses to pick up at 10 McKinley Ave. People can call 860-886-1534 to schedule a time to pick up the bags.
The team at Dixie Donuts, which backs right up to the Yantic River, has sandbags in place at all of their entrances. They have been through flooding before and are hoping the water won't reach inside their business like it has in the past.
"It is a concern," said Jennifer Baker, co-owner of Dixie Donuts. "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That’s all we can do.”
