Nor’easter Sets Back Recovery from Superstorm Sandy
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Mario Tama/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Many Northeast residents still reeling from superstorm Sandy were left in the dark again on Wednesday after a nor’easter blew over the region.
For many frustrated residents in New York and New Jersey, who had just recently gotten power back and were drying off after being inundated with flood waters, the storm was the last thing they needed.
“I am waiting for the locusts and pestilence next,” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said on Wednesday.
The nor’easter brought wet snow, sleet, rain and wind gusts that reached up to 54 mph on Long Island, N.Y., Wednesday afternoon through the evening.
Con Ed said on Thursday the storm knocked out power to approximately 55,000 customers in New York City and Westchester County.
The Long Island Power Authority said “last night’s storm has caused additional damage and power outages.” Its current outage tally — from both Sandy and the nor’easter — stands at more than 206,000 customers.
In New Jersey, Christie ordered evacuations along the southern coastline before the storm.
“We may take a step back in the next 24 hours,” he said. “You need to be prepared for that. I’m prepared for that. I hate setbacks. I don’t tolerate them usually very well but this one I can’t control.”
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered all parks, playgrounds and beaches closed and all construction sites to be secured. On Tuesday evening, he ordered three nursing homes and an adult-care facility evacuated from Queens’ vulnerable Rockaway peninsula.
“It is a good idea to stay indoors,” Bloomberg warned on Wednesday. “Hurricane Sandy weakened trees and storm debris blow around dangerously.”
The nor’easter is winding down Thursday morning for New Jersey and New York, but snow will continue on Thursday for parts of New England, where an additional 2 to 6 inches are possible.
New Haven, Conn., was walloped on Wednesday with more than 10 inches of snow, while more than 4 inches fell in Central Park and near 6 inches in Newark, N.J.
The highest recorded wind gust was 76 mph in Buzzards Bay, Mass.
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