Damn, Sandy
The eastern seaboard woke up this morning to assess damage left behind by Hurricane Sandy. Philadelphians were largely prepared, and were thankfully spared the storm’s worst. Here’s your Tuesday morning Buzz – Sandy edition #2:
In Philadelphia
- Philadelphia weathered the storm comparatively well, while areas of Delaware and New Jersey were devastated. [Inquirer].
- Philadelphia schools and government offices remain closed Tuesday.
- Philadelphia 65,000 lost power, among 585,000 PECO customers without power across the region. [NewsWorks]
- The Delaware River reached record flood-levels and the Schuylkill River is expected to crest at 2pm today. [Fox 29]
Transportation:
- SEPTA, PATCO, Amtrak Northeast Corridor, and NJ Transit service remains suspended.
- SEPTA crews began inspecting infrastructure at 6am, and it’s unclear when service will be fully restored. The Broad Street Line and Market-Frankford Line are likely to be back in service, followed by buses and city trolleys with detours possible. The regional rail, Route 100 and 102 trolley service, and Norristown High Speed line will return more slowly.
- DRPA bridges are open for cars only, but folks are again advised to stay home today. May local roads (including MLK Drive and Kelly Drive) are closed due to flooding and damaged trees.
Across the Region:
- NJ Governor Chris Christie said, “We have a battered, battered New Jersey shore.” and called the damage to the shore “incalculable” this morning on NBC’s Today Show.
- There were plenty of stubborn folks who didn’t heed evacuation warnings in New Jersey. The Daily News’ Jason Nark rode along with two retired cops, turned volunteer rescuers, in North Wildwood as the storm closed in on the Jersey shore.
- Damage to New York City’s subway system is the worst in its 108-year history. [NY Times]
- Millions from North Carolina to Maine are without power. [Slate]
- Today, Sandy continues to chug along a West/Northwesterly path, about 100 miles west of Philly, but today we can expect a bit more rain, high winds, and possible coastal flooding. The wind will continue to be a factor here through the workweek.
Tips:
- Call PECO’s emergency hotline 1-800-841-4141 to report damaged power lines.
- Call 311(or tweet @philly311) to report downed trees.
- Text, don’t call, to check on loved ones. [Atlantic Cities]
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