UPDATE: O&R Reports Most Power Restored

UPDATE 3:30PM:

Orange and Rockland Utilities reports: “O&R crews are working through the day today to restore electric service to the remaining 2,000 of the 14,000 customers whose power was knocked out by the severe storms packing heavy winds and rain that swept through the region last night. O&R crews working through the night have already restored power to 12,000 of its customers who lost electric service in the storm.”

Route 9W between Route 304 and Short Clove Road is closed due to downed trees and power lines. The state DOT estimated reopening by 6:30PM.

--------------------------------------------------

UPDATE 2PM: The National Weather Service extended the Flood Advisory for Rockland County again, till 4PM

-----------------------------------------------------

12:30PM: With more than 100 customers still without power around Nanuet and Pearl River, Orange and Rockland has offered an estimate for most to be restored by midnight Thursday.

The National Weather Service extended its Flood Advisory for Rockland until 2PM, saying streams and rivers were taking longer to recede than originally predicted.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Many homes and businesses remain without power this morning in the aftermath of the high, damaging winds and pouring rain of Wednesday night’s storm.

The National Weather Service has a flood advisory in effect for Rockland County until 11AM.

Small streams remained among minor flood levels as the day dawned, and were slowly receding. In particular the Mahwah River in Suffern was 1.2 feet above flood stage, the NWS said.

In Rockland, the morning power outages according to The Journal News were:

• Ramapo: 103
• Orangetown: 65
• Clarkstown: 383
• Haverstraw: 579

O&R says:

Following damaging storms, keep in mind the potentially deadly threat of downed electric wires and other safety hazards.

If you see a downed power line, consider it energized and dangerous. Stay clear and call us immediately at 1-877-434-4100. You may also want to contact local police to divert traffic until our crew arrives.

Here are additional tips to help you stay safe — and alive — when it comes to downed power lines.

• Maintain a distance of at least 50 feet from downed wire and anything they are in contact with, including puddles of water and fences. After a storm, be especially wary around metal fences.
• Keep your children inside and your pets on a leash.
• Don’t drive over downed power lines. Even if they’re not energized, the lines could get entangled in your vehicle, causing further damage.
• If a fallen wire is draped over a car, do not approach the car and make rescue attempts. Remain a safe distance away, try to keep the occupant of the vehicle calm, and wait for emergency personnel to handle the situation.
• If you’re in a situation where power lines are touching your car, do not get out of your car unless it’s on fire. It’s best to wait for an emergency response professional to help you. If you must get out of your car because of fire or another immediate life threatening situation, use extreme caution. Leap far and free of the vehicle, with no part of your body or clothing touching the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then shuffle away from the car, keeping both feet close together to minimize the path of electric current and avoid electric shock.