Power Outages After Storm Force Manchester Schools To Close

MANCHESTER, NJ —A powerful storm that moved through New Jersey in the early hours of Monday left more than 6,700 homes and businesses without power and forced the Manchester Township School District to close school for the day.

Manchester Township police said the rain from the storm flooded Route 70 in Whiting near milemarker 36, in the stretch between County Route 539 and the Pemberton border.

Route 70 also was closed for nearly three hours, police said. Ocean County Scanner News reported a transformer exploded, and high-tension wires were in the road. Route 70 reopened in the area about 9:15 a.m. but Colonial Drive is closed, police said.

Manchester schools initially announced a 90-minute delayed opening, but moved to a full cancellation as it became clear power wasn't going to be restored quickly. It was not immediately known when the day would be made up.

Manchester Township High School finally had power restored about 10:30 a.m., district officials said, as did Regional Day School. But power was still out at Manchester Township Elementary School.

Superintendent David Trethaway said JCP&L officials could not predict when power would be restored, and between the lack of power, downed power lines and traffic lights that were not operating and creating hazardous situations, the decision was made first to delay school and then close the schools altogether.

The Manchester Township Elementary School spring concert that was scheduled for Monday night has been canceled, according to the district website. No date for a rescheduling was immediately announced.

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