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By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press Writer
ALSTEAD, N.H. (AP) - Steady rain continued across much of New England and the Northeast early Thursday, and forecasters expected more wet weather for the region.
Several states have been hit with heavy rain in the past week, including New Hampshire, where three people were confirmed dead in floodwaters and four others remained missing.
The National Weather Service has canceled a flood watch for the state, but said the already saturated area could see 3 to 6 inches of rain in the next few days.
In some southwestern New Hampshire towns, officials went door-to-door to give residents instructions in case they need to get out quickly.
Alstead, a town of 2,000 people several miles from the Vermont state line, suffered the most damage from the weekend flooding. At least 12 homes were washed away.
When Jack Cochrane evacuated his house, he left with a week's worth of clothes, his cell phone and a flashlight. The rest of his belongings were swept away when the Cold River flooded over the weekend.
"I'm just at a loss in restarting _ there's not much I can do," he said.
Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who toured flood-damaged areas Wednesday, said the state hoped to get $5 million soon for such items as emergency housing, debris removal and restoration of communications, with more federal aid to follow.
Gov. John Lynch said it was difficult to estimate the damage, but "we're talking I believe tens of millions of dollars, clearly."
In New York City, the storm dropped 4.2 inches of rain in Central Park on Wednesday, breaking the previous record for Oct. 12, which was 3.4 inches in 1983. More rain was expected through Thursday, the weather service said.
At LaGuardia Airport, 35 flights were canceled due to the steady downpour, said Alan Hicks, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Flooding was expected to worsen in New Jersey, where heavy rain also snarled traffic and delayed flights.
"Everything is so saturated that the water has no place to go," said Roy Miller, a meteorologist with the weather service's Mount Holly office.
New Jersey remained under a flood watch, and streams and rivers in several areas were overflowing by midday. Flooding was reported in many counties, and arriving flights at Newark Liberty International Airport were delayed by as much as five hours because of rain.
By midnight Wednesday, residents of at least two communities _ Westwood in Bergen County and Bound Brook in Somerset County _ were evacuated from their homes due to rising waters. It was not clear how many people were affected.
Business districts in Hackensack and Princeton also saw flooding, while high water in Jersey City caused delays approaching the Holland Tunnel.
In New Hampshire, logs were pulled away from two dams to reduce water levels, said James Gallagher, chief water resources engineer for the state dam bureau.
Earlier Wednesday, National Guard members helped telephone and electric crews get to homes cut off from most roads by the storm. Officials said power had been restored to more than two-thirds of the 1,500 area homes and businesses that lost service.
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Associated Press Writer Wayne Parry in Newark, N.J., contributed to this report.
(Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
