South Shore residents, DPW crews prepare for massive rain storm

PLYMOUTH — It’s moving day for Plymouth resident Kristin Geyer. She moves loose furniture to protect her property threatened by the ocean from the violent storm on her doorstep.

“Previous storms have thrown tables through our windows. I would love it if that didn’t happen again. The winds are getting strong here so I’m hoping for the best for this one,” said Geyer.

Homeowner Vincent Montiverdi removed boards to allow water to flow through his deck instead of tearing it up. The storm blinds are down and he’s boarded up, plus he’s worried about the morning tide, which is astronomical. “It’s a lunar tide, so it will be higher. Normally it’s about 2.75 meters, but this time it will be about 12 feet. We do our homework beforehand to get everything in order,” said Montiverdi.

The Plymouth Department of Public Works is doing its own work to stay ahead of the storm, filling in dirt in gaps along the shoreline to protect the road. It also excavates sand that clogs storm drains near seaside roads that are prone to flooding at high tide.

“We’re trying to dig out sediment to get as much flow off the pavement as possible. We need to make room for all that rain and wind,” said DPW director Jonathan Beder.

Lobsterman Tom O’Reilly says the wind direction worries him. He will be off the water for a few days with other crews hauling in their halyards at Plymouth Marina. O’Reilly says he also parked his boat in what he felt was a safer place.

“They’re calling for a south-easterly wind at 65 miles an hour. This is the worst thing about this port because as you can see there is no protection. It’s blowing right over here and it’s hitting the whole harbour.”