Montclair Storm Update: Ida Wallops Town, Here’s The Latest

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair safety officials had warned that things could get messy as the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida passed through New Jersey. And on Wednesday night, weather forecasters’ predictions proved correct – unfortunately.

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency across New Jersey Wednesday night as Tropical Storm Ida wreaked havoc, spawning powerful tornadoes and significant flash flooding from south to north. Read More: 1 Dead As Flooding Traps Drivers, Tornadoes Devastate New Jersey

Videos of the storm's impact to Montclair quickly spread online, including eye-opening footage of floodwater rushing into a resident's basement through a window. >> Subscribe to Patch for local storm updates here.

Other footage included a view of Valley Road and a torrent of water moving down the street.

The storm took down wires and caused power outages across the state, including Montclair. As of 10 a.m. on Thursday, there were still 272 PSE&G customers in Montclair without power and 31 outages, according to the company’s online map.

PSE&G said that “extensive flooding, hazardous conditions and inaccessible roadways” hampered their efforts to get the power flowing again. For example, crews were unable to work in bucket trucks to make repairs in high winds.

“We are working with local first responders to physically get our teams to the hardest hit areas as safely and quickly as possible,” spokespeople said Thursday morning.

Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller tweeted messages about the storm’s impact on the township.

Montclair Councilman Peter Yacobellis also gave an update about local storm impacts on Thursday morning. He wrote:

“We've just experienced what I believe to be the most significant flooding event, for our region, in modern history. At the present time there is no known loss of life in Montclair, thank goodness. Water is safe to drink. Township staff, who have been working through the night, continue to be spread out across town, responding to emergency calls and assessing damage to municipal facilities and clearing debris. Any life-threatening issues should, as always, be called into 911. For non-life-threatening emergencies, you can contact our various services here.”

Yacobellis continued:

“Residents and business owners are strongly advised to take photos of damage to homes, businesses, belongings, and inventory and make lists of damaged or lost items. This is typically required for insurance claims. We are waiting to see what kind of disaster relief may become available from the state and federal governments. I would assume Governor Murphy is asking FEMA for a formal Major Disaster Declaration for New Jersey. In that request and subsequent approval, I'm hopeful will contain a request to activate the Individual Assistance Program (FEMA IHP), which is key for relief for those without insurance.”

The councilman also noted that he launched a private fundraiser on Facebook to build up a Disaster Relief fund to be able to provide assistance to those most in need through direct giving and the many nonprofit organizations in town.

“I am consulting with key nonprofit leaders to determine the most effective way to disburse those funds but wanted to quickly set up a way for people with means to give,” he explained. “If that's you, please give here.”

At least one Montclair business reported having to close because of the damage.

"We will be closed until further notice due to damage sustained by yesterday’s storm," Egan & Sons wrote on social media. "Stay safe and healthy."

Local nonprofits also took a hit, including the Human Needs Food Pantry.

The nonprofit behind the Montclair Film Festival also reported damage from "very powerful" flooding. According to a social media post from Montclair Film:

"Last night, Montclair experienced a very powerful flooding event in the wake of Hurricane Ida and, unfortunately, our home at 505 Bloomfield Avenue was devastated by the flood. We have suffered extensive damage to our Education classrooms and the concourse level of our building; this level opens up onto the Fullerton parking deck, which was inundated with water last night. Additionally, the main level of our building, which houses our cinema, was flooded via rising waters on Bloomfield Avenue."

Montclair Film continued:

"As we get to work on recovering from this flood, we are determined to host the 10th annual Montclair Film Festival and the launch of the Clairidge Cinema in October, and we are hard at work on finalizing our plans for a great event. We want to send our thoughts and best wishes to everyone who suffered as a result of this storm and wish you the best on a safe, speedy recovery. We appreciate the enduring support of our friends, patrons, members, donors, and volunteers, support that has given us the resolve to keep moving forward. We look forward to seeing you all again soon."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page.