Flood damage is seen in Long Lake on Tuesday morning, July 11. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

LONG LAKE — The town of Long Lake Tuesday morning declared a state of emergency due to severe flooding in the heart of the hamlet, an event that has heavily damaged highways, sidewalks, dams and bridges and forced road closures to nearby communities such as Newcomb.

Town Supervisor Clay Arsenault declared the state of emergency at 5 a.m. after a night of heavy rain, and it will remain in effect until further notice.

“There’s a lot of carnage,” Arsenault said. “Some houses have been flooded. Some silt that’s up to windows from the creeks washing out and flooding. Yeah. It’s a mess.”

He said state firefighters, state emergency workers, Department of Transportation engineers and Essex County officials were all in town, as were a lot of locals.

“People are out and about. Long Lake is a very resilient, tough community,” Arsenault said. “It’s all hand on deck. Everybody’s helping each other.”

Flood damage is seen in Long Lake on Tuesday morning, July 11. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

There was no passage through town as the bridge was out from the Long Lake Diner to the state Route 30/28N intersection.

The area is in the heat of tourist season, when businesses around here make their hay for the winter. It was tough timing for business owners, who rely on tourist shoppers but couldn’t get them.

Hoss’s Country Corner owner Laurie Hosley was “very upset” Tuesday morning. She had heard about the flooding around 1 a.m. and had been up ever since.

“Everybody’s safe though,” she said.

Hosley lives on the side of town where she could get to her shop in the morning, but she was there all alone.

Flood damage is seen in Long Lake on Tuesday morning, July 11. (Provided photo — town of Long Lake)

“Nobody can get here,” she said, looking out a the flooding right next to her store.

The spillway on state Route 30 breached and was draining Park Lake like a “raging river.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Hosley said. “It’s sort of indescribable.”

There is possible damage to the Long Lake Water District infrastructure, according to the state of emergency declaration, plus downed electric supply lines and poles and the evacuation and/or relocation of affected residents.

“The situation threatens public safety,” the declaration states.

Flood damage is seen in Long Lake on Tuesday morning, July 11. (Provided photo — town of Long Lake)

The town’s Facebook page stated Tuesday morning that travel in and around Long Lake in the main intersection of state routes 28N/30 was for emergency vehicles only. Route 28N from Long Lake to Newcomb was closed in both directions.

At 9:13 a.m., the town stated on its Facebook page that there is water on North Point Road, but it was passable.

Anyone in need of emergency assistance was asked to call 9-1-1.

Adirondack Experience, the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake was closed Tuesday, according to the museum’s Facebook page: “Due to severe flooding and road damage, all major roadways to the museum are closed at this time and we will not be able to open to the public. Refunds will be issued to anyone who has purchased tickets to visit the museum today. Please stay safe.”

The Adirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb also closed on Tuesday until further notice due to flooding, according to the center’s Facebook page.

Flood damage is seen in Long Lake on Tuesday morning, July 11. (Provided photo — town of Long Lake)

The John Dillon Park in Long Lake announced on its Facebook page that it was closed on Tuesday due to area road conditions and the town’s state of emergency.

A photo on the town of Newcomb’s Facebook page shows the bridge over Fishing Brook washed out, and the road closed.

Officials at Great Camp Santanoni in Newcomb Tuesday morning urged people not to travel to Newcomb: “We know that the rising water at the Gate Lodge is interesting, but it is not worth risking your safety for a photo or video.”

On-site staff at Great Camp Santanoni were evacuated and moved briefly to the Newcomb Town Hall until the bridge situation was resolved, the Facebook page stated Tuesday morning, and traveling across the bridge onto the site is prohibited until further notice:

“If you own the property across from the Gate Lodge, your Adirondack chairs just washed away down the creek.”

Flood damage is seen in Long Lake on Tuesday morning, July 11. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

Flood damage is seen in Long Lake on Tuesday morning, July 11. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)