Storm downs trees, knocks out power
HARTFORD, Conn. — A severe storm packing hurricane force wind gusts and soaking rain swept through the Northeast U.S. early Monday, knocking out power for more than 1.2 million and forcing hundreds of schools to close in New England.
Falling trees knocked down power lines across the region, and some utility companies warned customers that power could be out for a few days.
New England appeared to get the brunt of the storm, which brought sustained winds of up to 80 km/h in some spots. A gust of 209 km/h was reported at the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire, while winds hit 131 km/h in Mashpee on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
In the Boston, Mass., suburb of Brookline, Helene Dunlap said her power went out after she heard a loud “kaboom” around 1:30 a.m. Monday. She went outside hours later to find a large tree had fallen on a neighbouring home.
“It really shook the whole place up,” she said. “It was such a dark, stormy night that looking out the window we really couldn’t determine what was going on.”
Kathleen Buccheri’s home in Glastonbury, Conn., lost power around midnight. She had to forgo her morning shower and couldn’t make coffee in the morning.
“Just high, high, high winds,” said Buccheri, who does therapeutic recreation work with the elderly. “I saw flashes of light and heard booms. I think it was the transformers.”
She said she stocked up on some food and other supplies as soon as she heard the storm was coming.
“You’re in New England. You’ve got to be ready,” she said.
Maine and New Hampshire also got pounded. The Portland International Jetport in Maine recorded a wind gust of 111 km/h, and the Amtrak Downeaster service cancelled a morning run due to down trees on the tracks.
“We need about 24 to 48 hours to really get a good handle on what the scope of the damage is,” Seth Wheeler, a spokesman for New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, told WMUR-TV. “We’ll be making restorations along the way, but this is going to be a multiple-day event.” He added, “I think if you’re without power at this time, you should expect to remain without power, possibly for a number of days.”