New Bedford Sees 9.5 Inches Of Rain From Ida's Remnants

NEW BEDFORD (CBS) -- The remnants of Ida dropped several inches of rain across the northeast Wednesday night - and it appears no one saw more water than New Bedford.

The city's emergency management director recorded 9.5 inches of rain at the wastewater treatment plant at Fort Taber, according to weather spotters.  It was enough to flood part of Route 24, stranding some drivers who didn't realize there was a foot of water on the road.

"I didn't see it, so it stopped my car right away. It was kind of scary. It was a lot of rain," said Aramis Reyes, a stranded driver.

While there were few signs of flooding in New Bedford Thursday morning, the saturated ground and winds from the storm also caused trees to fall in the city.

A large tree fell near a home on Montrose Street.

"Very, very lucky. Thank god, the tree didn't hit the kids' room," said New Bedford resident Angie Mojica.

And nearby, another tree came down right in between two homes, waking up the neighborhood.

"I was like, 'Oh my goodness, this is really happening,'" said Matthew Costa.

But overall, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said the city weathered the storm well.

"Over the years, we've done a considerable amount of planning to shore up our infrastructure, both along the shoreline, as well as things like pumping stations and our sewer system to make sure that they are doing everything they can to mitigate the risk of flooding," said Mitchell.

The Health Department announced that New Bedford beaches are closed to swimming "due to the recent excessive rainfall." Water

quality will be tested daily until it's determined that beaches can safely reopen.