BOSTON -- Waltham residents were evacuated from their homes in a bucket loader Sunday as a Nor’easter drenched the region, flooding roads, knocking down trees and taking out power lines across the state.

Wind gusts near 60 mph caused the National Weather Service to issue a high wind warning for the Massachusetts coast. Driving rain and powerful waves brought a flood warning for much of the state, as well.

Map: Damage By Town | Viewers' Storm Photos

Motorists reported flooding in several parts of Waltham, where firefighters called in a John Deere tractor to evacuate residents from an apartment complex on Linden Street. They were transported to a local high school after the bucket loader carried them across a massive pool of water outside the building.

In other towns like Leominster and Woburn, tow trucks were busy dragging submerged cars from flooded roadways, while in Ashland, Swampscott and Beverly, homeowners were grappling with trees that came crashing down onto their homes.

The slow-moving nor'easter knocked out power for over 500,000 people across the Northeast. Six people were also killed in storm-related accidents

Connecticut police say a woman died when a falling tree struck her as she was walking late Saturday in Greenwich. One person was killed in Westport, Conn., when a tree fell on a car.

Authorities in Teaneck, N.J., say two neighbors were killed by a falling tree as they headed home from a prayer service.

In Hartsdale, N.Y., a man died when a tree crushed the roof of his car and in Rhode Island, an off-duty state trooper died Sunday after his car hydroplaned in a patch of standing water.

The relentless rain became heavy Saturday night and continued all day Sunday. It was not expected to end until Monday.

"Excessive runoff from the heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, as well as highways and underpasses. Country roads and farmlands along the banks of creeks and other low lying areas are subject to flooding," the National Weather Service said.

Minor flooding was expected on the Charles, Spicket, Concord and Neponset rivers. Moderate flooding was expected on the Sudbury and Assabet rivers.

"Major flooding is possible on the Shawsheen. These rivers will remain in flood through Tuesday," said Storm Team 5 meteorologist Mike Wankum.

Route 110 in Chelmsford was closed from Chelmsford Center to Hunt Road due to flooding of an adjacent brook that washed out 10 to 15 feet of the roadway edge.

In Boxford, motorists had to navigate through roads where river-like torrents cut them in half and made driving dangerous.

In Boston, MBTA officials were monitoring the Muddy River, which threatened to flood a T stop near Fenway Park.

The National Weather Service warned that high tides will likely cause erosion across the state’s coastline through Monday afternoon