Catastrophic flooding swamped Vermont's capital as intense storms forced evacuations, rescues and closures in the Northeast

Intense rainstorms that inundated the Northeast turned streets into rivers, forced evacuations and prompted officials in Vermont's capital, Montpelier, to close the downtown area.

"Make no mistake, the devastation and flooding we're experiencing across Vermont is historic and catastrophic," Gov. Phil Scott told reporters Tuesday.

Floodwaters in some areas "surpassed levels seen during Tropical Storm Irene," the governor said. Irene hit the United States as a hurricane in August 2011 and left entire communities submerged, killing more than 40 people in several Eastern states.

The current flooding has claimed thousands of homes and businesses, Scott added.

In downtown Montpelier, authorities issued a travel ban that lasted through Tuesday afternoon. A boil water notice remains in place for the city, after officials warned the "extreme flooding" could contaminate the drinking water supply.

The city and surrounding communities have seen "record-breaking flooding" in two days, Montpelier officials said Tuesday afternoon. The city's downtown area remains flooded and is not safe for public travel, they added.

The city was hammered by a record-setting 5.28 inches of rainfall Monday, the National Weather Service in Burlington said. That's more than any other day on record, including when Irene dropped 5.27 inches of rain on the state capital on August 28, 2011.