Dozens Of Cars Submerged In MA High School Lot From Storm Floods

GLOUCESTER, MA — Officials wanted residents to park in the Gloucester High School lot prior to Thursday's storm. The street parking ban was going into effect, and people needed a place to drop their cars.

By Friday, after dozens of vehicles were submerged in water and suffered heavy damage, the city's website smacked of too little, too late: "Residents may park in all municipal and school parking lots, but please be aware that some locations have experienced heavy flooding."

High tides and strong winds contributed to substantial flooding in Gloucester Thursday. Several areas filled up with water, including the high school parking lot. The Boston Globe said about 60 cars were damaged.

Gina Marie Smith, who took the photos seen in this story from her deck, told Patch the scene was "devastating."

When asked if the City should be partially responsible for the vehicle damage, Chief Administrative Officer Jim Destino told WBZ "It's an act of God, really. It's a storm."

Also See: Historic Coastal Floods Swamp New England

Reporting from Jenna Fisher was used in this story