BOSTON -- With Bay State rivers surging their banks and many neighborhoods submerged under lakes of water, Massachusetts state of emergency was expected to remain in effect, prompting dozens of communities to close schools and businesses Monday.

Communities all along the soggy North Shore were bailing out water and sandbagging as residents evacuated to shelters and Gov. Mitt Romney called on the National Guard to help those stranded by the rising flood waters all over the Merrimack River Valley.

"The reason is that we want to be able to draw on the resources of the National Guard to assure that where there is flooding and where people need to be evacuated from vehicles that have stalled in the roadways, the National Guard can come in with their equipment and help remove people from those vehicles," Romney said.

Guardsmen were called to Peabody, where some streets were flooded. The National Guard said approximately 100 soldiers from the 1058th Transportation Company out of Hingham, 1164th Transportation Company out of Leominster, 1166th Transportation Company out of Worcester and the 972nd Military Police Company out of Reading were placed on state active duty in response to severe weather conditions.

In Peabody, Mass., 20 miles north of Boston, residents were hit by constant rainfall all day Sunday. Cars were pulled from flooded streets and about 300 people were evacuated from a senior citizens' apartment complex.

Businesses stacked sandbags at their doors, trying to prevent damage from water that at one point rose to waist-deep. Court officials planned to close Peabody District Court on Monday in an effort to keep people away from the city's square.

NewsCenter 5's Jim Morelli reported that neighborhoods and basements were flooded out all over the low-lying city.

"It's coming through people's windows, through their back yards, we'd like to help them more but at this point there's really nothing we can do," Peabody firefighter Jim Lendall said.

Along Shaw's Lane, a group of streams turned into a torrent of water, taking some residents by surprise as they tried to keep the water out of their homes and basements.

"We were up all night fighting it off and we did OK until about 7:30 this morning, we thought we were out of the woods. Took a little nap and woke up and had a ... lakefront property," said Veke Summit. "As you get a little older, dealing with the financial standpoint of this, it's not much fun."

Another couple had to be rescued from their home by the fire department.

"We didn't have any water and one hour later, the basement is full of water," the rescued resident said.

Nearby in Salem, a McDonald's was flooded with water and the stranded employees made the best of it, ordering pizza while they waited out the storm that came on much quicker than any of them expected.

"Bam, it happened. One guy called me at nine and said, 'We are kind of starting to get flooded,'" worker Sarah Michaud said.

Some residents were taking a stroll through the flood waters, but there were concerns that overflowing sewers could mean the water was contaminated.

In Melrose, entire neighborhoods were being evacuated and about 150 people were forced to leave their homes. One of the neighborhoods was near the intersection of Melrose Street and the Lynn Fells Parkway.

NewsCenter 5's Lynn Jolicouer reported that cars and apartment buildings in some areas were submerged in water, residents stuck inside.

The low-lying community's sewer and drainage system was overwhelmed by the fast-rising flood waters. Some residents on Heywood Avenue had to ride out the storm on a fire department raft.

"My apartment is downstairs. It's just a complete mess," one resident said.

Some homes built on former swamp lands sit on concrete slabs and they were flooded out as their streets became small rivers. Residents left with what little belongings they could carry out, the rain pelting down in unrelenting sheets. Sewer drains spewed water and residents of a senior apartment complex were evacuated for their own safety.

"We're talking a whole lot of water. We've lost their power rooms, their emergency generator, the elevators are down," said Melrose emergency management worker Ed Kelly.

Resident Rose Bassler was evacuated but she took it in stride, laughingly saying residents had always wanted their own swimming pool as she surveyed the flooded grounds. Not far away, some motorists had to have their cars pushed out of flooded streets after taking a chance and driving in to flooded intersections.

"I didn't think it was that deep. I never would have come in had I known it was that deep," said Lorraine Dunne.

In neighboring Wakefield, Mass., a firefighter found 5 feet of water in his basement.

"In Melrose, in particular, there have been some reports of sewage backing up into people's homes," Romney said. "The reason for that is that as the groundwater fills the normal sewage drainage systems in our roads, the pressure from all that groundwater begins to put real pressure on the sewage systems that go into people's homes."

Officials in the fishing community of Gloucester on the North Shore also evacuated about 70 residents from Poplar Park senior home, which is downstream Babson Reservoir spillway. The structure is not endanger of collapsing, said Mayor John Bell.

In Amesbury, officials decided to keep schools closed Monday. By Sunday evening, 18 communities had decided to keep schools closed. Residents were asked to call the Amesbury emergency operations center at 978-388-8155 for assistance or road conditions.

In Winchester, police said there was flooding along the Aberjona River, which was 2 feet above flood stage. Several roads were closed and impassable.

Residents were evacuated from homes along Cross Street, Forest Street and Brookside Avenue, they said. No shelter was set up and residents were making their own arrangements as to where they would go. Police and fire crews made one rescue from the Cross St. Bridge which flooded out. A woman whose car was submerged was taken to Winchester Hospital with minor injuries.

State emergency management employees were working overtime at their headquarters in Framingham, monitoring weather reports, river levels and flooding hotspots. They said they were not concerned about possible dam failures as of Sunday afternoon. Several communities were expected to see more than 1 foot of rain before the storm passes. Rain was expected to abate late Sunday, but then pick up again Monday into Tuesday.

"When you have that kind of water, obviously the impact on rivers can be pretty severe and the Merrimack River Valley, is expecting -- based on the water that has already been received -- to crest 6 feet above its normal flood levels," Romney said. "Now, that doesn't mean that homes are going to be swept away or anything like that, but it does mean that there's going to be a lot of water rushing down that river. Don't get too close to it."

In Boston, Kelley Tuthill reported that the city was soggy and windy but the big problem Sunday were the roadways, where water built up and many motorists were driving too fast for conditions. Route 1A north of Logan International Airport was closed by the flooding.

Department of Recreation and Conservation crews spent the weekend trying to clear clogged drains in order to relieve flooding. On Sunday, one crew found a clogged drain on Greenough Boulevard leading toward the Charles River, forcing them to close one flooded lane of Storrow Drive to traffic in order to get at it.

"We've got crews all over trying to clean up the catch basins and the culverts, just getting clear of the drains and the water was everywhere. They're working pretty hard at it," said the department's Larry Callanan.

For the most part, roads remained open but there were numerous reports of basement and street flooding. One woman said she was visiting Boston for her son's graduation from Boston University and despite the heavy rains, she said, she loved the city anyway. The BU graduation is normally held outside in tents and it did take place but the ceremony was cut short due to the heavy rains.

In Lowell, Mass., Diolinda Vaz reported that the Merrimack River was raging, sending huge trees down stream. In Woburn, raw sewage overflowed into Horn Pond.

In Metheun, the Spickett River turned into a raging waterfall at one dam, luring awed spectators. Business owners near the mill on Broadway filled sandbags and pumped water out of their stores, trying to rescue merchandise from rising flood waters. The river also flooded Morrison Court, closing the street and leaving homes isolated.

In Lowell, heavy rains brought down trees and a mud slide blocked First Street.

Massachustts asked residents with flooding concerns or problems to call a state emergency hotline at 1-800-293-4031.