Thursday, September 1, 2011

Hurricane Irene's Impact (A state-by-state look in America)


Residents in the East are coping with the lingering effects of Irene, the storm that swept up the coast, first as a hurricane and later as a tropical storm. It knocked out power to millions of homes and businesses and has killed more than 40 people. A state-by-state look at its impact, according to state officials, residents, relief agencies and others:


CONNECTICUT

— Deaths: 2

— Without power: About 260,000 customers as of Thursday, down from 770,000.

— Damage: Minor to moderate flooding; tree limbs blocking roads; coastal homes destroyed.

— "People are angry and I don't blame them. We all depend on electricity." - Sen. Joseph Lieberman

DELAWARE

— Deaths: 2

— Without power: 140 as of Thursday.

— Damage: Near-record rains and spotty flooding.

"With the enormous size of the storm, I would have expected a little bit more of a consistent rainfall pattern." - Steward Lovell, state groundwater supply manager

MAINE

— Deaths: 2

— Without power: About 16,000 as of Thursday.

— Damage: To public infrastructure.

"When in doubt, throw it out."- Sheila Pinette, director of the state Center for Disease Control and Prevention, on food safety during power outages

MARYLAND

— Deaths: 3

— Without power: About 86,000 as of Thursday.

— Damage: Nuclear reactor brought back online after automatic shutdown when siding blew into a transformer.

"The consumers of this state, despite drastic increases in rates, are receiving drastic decreases in service." state Delegate Pat McDonough in a letter to the Public Service Commission

MASSACHUSETTS

— Deaths: 1

— Without power: About 68,000 as of Thursday, down from more than 500,000.

— Damage: Some roads still impassable; rivers receding.

"Flooding does not appear to be a danger at this point." - Scott MacLeod, a spokesman for the state Emergency Management Agency

NEW HAMPSHIRE

— Deaths: 1

— Without power: About 170 as of Thursday morning, down from 175,000.

— Damage: Irene-related Internet service interruptions Wednesday across northern New England; road damage.

— "Visitors should know that they will be able to reach their New Hampshire destinations this Labor Day weekend." - Gov. John Lynch

NEW JERSEY

— Deaths: 7

— Without power: About 84,000 as of Thursday morning, down from more than 900,000.

— Damage: All major roads to Jersey Shore reopened; part of Interstate 287 remains closed.

— "The whole thing's been a mess." - Wallington resident Matthew Keenan

NEW YORK

— Deaths: 10

— Without power: Nearly 182,000, down from 945,000.

— Damage: An estimated $1 billion, mostly upstate; 600 homes damaged, 150 major highways disrupted and $45 million in damage to farms.

— "We don't expect a baby in late August. This is very unusual." - Susan Cardillo, assistant curator of the Central Park Zoo, where a lamb later named Irene Hope was born during the hurricane

NORTH CAROLINA

— Deaths: 6

— Without power: More than 30,000 as of Wednesday evening.

— Damage: Estimated $148 million but likely to grow; Hatteras Island's only road to mainland damaged.

— "Heartache." - Tobacco farmer Burt Pitt, when asked by Gov. Beverly Perdue what he could get from his damaged field

PENNSYLVANIA

— Deaths: 5

— Without power: More than 55,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.

— Damage: Sporadic to farms and orchards; trees down.

— "We have to get people back into their homes." — Gov. Tom Corbett

RHODE ISLAND

— Deaths: None

Without power: More than 52,000 as of Thursday afternoon, down from 333,000.

Damage: Some along coast; extensive to trees in some places.

— "It's like 'Little House on the Prairie' times, except I'm not enjoying it at all." - Debbie McWeeney, of Warwick, on the power outages

SOUTH CAROLINA

Deaths: None.

Without power: Restored to all, down from 8,000.

Damage: Less than $5 million in insured damage; boardwalk and beach damage.

— "Certainly you don't need to flee the coast and panic." — Gov. Nikki Haley last week on no need for evacuations

VERMONT

Deaths: 3; 2 people missing.

Without power: Fewer than 5,900 as of Thursday morning.

Damage: Hundreds of road closed; scores of bridges destroyed or damaged.

— "The scary part was worrying about if we'd run out — of food, fuel — and then what? The isolation is the hardest part." — Amy Wildt, of Rochester, on living in a town cut off by road damage

VIRGINIA

Deaths: 4

Without power: About 174,000, down from more than 1 million.

Damage: Tree damage; moderate flooding.

— "I totally appreciate what they're doing. I understand there's a delay, but don't tell us that it's going on when it's not going to be on." — Angela Verdery, of Richmond, on the power outages

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Deaths: None

Without power: Mostly restored.

Damage: Mostly to trees; leaks in Washington Monument.

— "We fared much better than we could have." - Mayor Vincent Gra

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