Brattleboro, Vermont (CNN) -- Floodwaters brought by Tropical Storm Irene began to recede Monday in Vermont, but the governor warned that further flooding and loss of life are likely ahead for the small, rural state. "It's just devastating," Gov. Peter Shumlin said Monday. "Whole communities under water, businesses, homes, obviously roads and bridges, rail transportation infrastructure. We've lost farmers' crops," he said. "We're tough folks up here but Irene ... really hit us hard."
Hundreds of people remained trapped Monday in communities cut off by raging floodwaters that washed out or otherwise damaged 263 roads and bridges, Shumlin said. Exactly how many were stranded remained unclear, he said.
"It's hard for us to know, frankly, because it's hard for us to get into the communities we need to get to," he said.
Highlighting the transportation problems, the Vermont National Guard had to travel through neighboring Massachusetts to get rescue crews to the small, cut-off town of Wilmington, the governor said.
One death had been confirmed as a result of the storm. The fatality occurred in Wilmington, where a woman who was standing near a river died after she was swept away by floodwaters. Her body has been recovered, according to authorities.
"I can say with confidence that there's further loss of life," Shumlin said, adding that authorities are searching for several missing people.
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