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

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Public 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 – including in West Orange.

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. >> Subscribe to Patch for local storm updates here

• Read More: 1 Dead As Flooding Traps Drivers, Tornadoes Devastate New Jersey

The storm took down wires and caused power outages across the state, including West Orange.

As of 10 a.m. on Thursday, there were still 1,237 PSE&G customers in West Orange without power and 36 outages, according to the company’s online map. Nearby in East Orange, things were even worse, with 6,462 customers and 65 outages reported.

West Orange Mayor Robert Parisi gave an update on the damage Thursday morning. He wrote:

“Quite a storm! Fast and furious! Luckily, all in all, West Orange did ok compared to recent storms. Happy to report there are no storm related injuries and though this storm left damage, it is not as bad as we have seen in the past … or compared to what we expected.”

Parisi continued:

“Many streets do have damage and downed power lines along with abandoned cars. Please be careful when traveling and, if possible, stay off the roads until absolutely necessary. Route 280 remains closed eastbound at Prospect Avenue and all entrances and exits to 280 are still backing up so expect delays.”

Power is expected to be restored before the end of Thursday, the mayor said. If you have not yet reported an outage, or need to report additional concerns, contact PSEG at 1-800-436-7734.

Got branches lying around? Here’s what to do with them, Parisi said:

“There are some trees and large branches that came down causing some damage and power outages. DPW is working on clean up now and will continue to work until the township is cleaned up. Residents can put large branches at the curb for pickup but please keep them to four feet in length whenever possible just to make them easier to pick up. If putting out piles of branches, please attempt to stack them neatly.”

For residents with water in their basements, here’s what to do, Parisi said:

“The West Orange Fire Department can provide pump-out services but there is already a lengthy list of people waiting with over 120 calls for service waiting to be answered. But if you need assistance from the Fire Department, please call the non-emergency number at 973-325-4000 and they will respond as quickly as possible as they will continue to work around the clock.”

“And despite some social media claims, all the animals at the zoo are safe and doing fine,” the mayor added.

• See related article: Animals Didn't Escape Turtle Back Zoo In Storm, Official Says

“All departments will continue to work around the clock to get the township back to normal,” Parisi reported. “If you have any concerns or need to report damage, please call the non-emergency line at 973-325-4000 or contact our emergency email at snow@westorange.org.”

Despite the damage, there were still those who wanted to just go about their days as per usual, as seen in the below social media post from a local restaurant, Bagels By Jarrett.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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