Drivers stranded, businesses damaged after heavy rain in Merrimack Valley

NORTH ANDOVER – An intense storm brought more than six inches of rain to the Merrimack Valley Tuesday, flooding roads and businesses.

Blown out windows, shattered glass, desk chairs on the sidewalk and debris across the patio are only a glimpse into the destruction inside a mill complex full of businesses in North Andover.

Water that poured into the basement brought debris up an entire level, and hours later, the water was still standing inside Jaime’s Restaurant. Owner Jaime Faria says this 13-year-old business survived the gas explosions in 2018 and COVID. 

“Up until this moment, every time I would always say my parents are alive and well, my kids are good, I’ve got enough money to pay the bills. I’ve got all the booze I can drink, but this is going, I can’t make money. I don’t know when I open up again,” Faria said.

Plus, he has no flood insurance, and this damage might not be covered.

The torrential, but quick downpours of Tuesday morning brought four to seven inches of rain to parts of the Merrimack Valley. It shut down an exit ramp on I-93 north in North Andover, flooded streets in Andover and Lawrence and even trapped people in their cars.

“I see the water is not very deep, and I went through it,” one woman said, who had to be rescued from her car in a flood on Parker Street in Lawrence.

She watched as a brave tow truck operator went neck deep in the rainwater to get her Jeep out safely.

“No, I did not expect it. It was a little deeper than what I thought, but we got it out of there,” said Elio Diaz of Best Price Towing Services.   

WBZ-News Staff

The WBZ News team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on WBZ.com.