‘It was coming out of walls:’ North Andover declares local state of emergency after severe flooding

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — North Andover has declared a local state of emergency after extreme flooding washed out several towns on Tuesday. 

Several businesses were completely wiped out and people’s homes were also damaged. Nancy Sprague captured the water gushing out of Jaime’s Restaurant in North Andover. “It was coming out of the walls. It was coming out of the walls,” said Sprague.

Nancy was right. The damage inside the restaurant was devastating.

Owner Jaime Faria says they survived Covid and the Merrimack Valley gas explosion but he says this damage is extensive.

“This is a little different. Everything else I came back from. This is a lot of money to fix this,” said Faria.

Faria says because flooding is not an issue they don’t have flood insurance. He estimates hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and being closed will cost about 40 thousand dollars a day.

His staff is helping him figure out what to do next. “They are wonderful human beings. I’m not here without them anyways. I’m very fortunate,” said Faria.

Tom Coder’s home office was flooded.

“Saved the computer thankfully but all the flooring is toast. The walls are toast,” said Faria.

North Andover is now has declared a local state of emergency. This is expected to help the area secure federal aid.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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