A shot from yesterday’s rainstorm in Sea Bright. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright is open to traffic and phone service has been restored following yesterday’s rainstorm that knocked down three utility poles and forced the closure of the borough’s main drag all day and part of the evening.
Police Chief John Sorrentino said power, which is out on New, Front, Surf and Beach streets, may be restored as soon as tonight, but “at the worst, tomorrow.”
“Right now we’re just working with JCP&L to the poles up,” he said. “They’re thinking that they can get the poles up today and get power restored very late today or early tomorrow.”
That means residents of New Street, where wind knocked down the utility poles and injured one woman, who suffered minor injuries from an electrical shock, will go at least one more day away from home. Sorrentino said the American Red Cross is assisting the families of New Street while crews work to get the area fully functional again.
The borough evacuated New Street Wednesday afternoon, and Sorrentino said nearby residents were asked to leave as well, but it was not mandatory.
High winds and heavy rains wreaked havoc on the seaside town yesterday when three utility poles — not six, as previously reported — were knocked down, and a fourth was left in precarious position. Local emergency services had shut down traffic on Ocean Avenue from noon until about 7p, Sorrentino said.
The incident also knocked out phone lines and power to the immediate area, as well as the traffic light at the foot of the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge. Phone lines were operational at around 8:30 this morning, Sorrentino said.
