Devastation in Windham

Lance Wheeler photos

WINDHAM – Windham Fire Chief Michael Scarey said Hurricane Irene has “wiped out” downtown Windham. Torrential rains that started Saturday night forced evacuations, submerged school buses and garages and shut down access to the rest of the mountain top.

More than 10 inches of rain fell on the community with an estimated three to four feet of water rushing through Main Street, decimating everything in its path.

Further west, a house was ripped from its foundation and was swallowed by the fast moving creek. It slammed into a bridge.

Fire fighters spent much of the day rescuing people from their flooded homes. One woman was rescued after she was pinned to a tree by the sheer force of the floodwaters.