A flash flood warning is in effect until 9 a.m. for Boston and several communities south of the city, including Brockton, Quincy, and Randolph, officials said Thursday morning. The National Weather Service also issued a flood watch that will remain in effect until 4 p.m. for Rhode Island and eastern portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Heavy rainfall caused areas of flooding on I-93 and other major roadways in Massachusetts on Thursday morning.

Thursday morning’s flash floods hit the South Shore, including Weymouth Landing, particularly hard. “I got the flash flood alert I looked outside, I was totally surprised,” said resident Patrick Bird who shared remarkable cell phone video of the flood with Boston 25 News.

Mayor Lynn Crawford said hearts are broken over the lives lost and stomachs are in knots as residents begin to take stock of the damage.

Flash flooding could impact parts of south central and southeastern Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, Boston meteorologists warned.

Back-to-back flooding disasters in recent years — in Texas, New Mexico and Kentucky, among many others — have showed that preparing for flash flooding is a new necessity as the planet warms.

It’s really hard to comprehend, but it does kind of put into perspective making sure all of our safety protocols and things like that are in place to make sure we are doing our very best to keep campers and out staff safe every single day.

Local officials in one of the hardest-hit counties have still revealed little about what, if any, actions they took to safeguard residents, tourists, and visitors in an area known as “flash flood alley.