This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
Isaias Outages: In Storm's Wake, Million Still Without Power in N.Y., N.J. and C.T ¶
Published on August 6, 2020
Residents in the New York region faced widespread devastation after Tropical Storm Isaias ravaged the area, leaving millions without power.
One day after the storm, residents were forced to navigate streets blocked off to vehicles by trees and power lines. Many were desperate for power, with some stores selling out of generators.
For some, the storm added another layer of pain to life already complicated by the pandemic. 'It's like I wish 2020 would not have even shown its face,' said Scott G. Morgan, the administrator and emergency management coordinator for Upper Township, N.J.
By Wednesday morning, the fast-moving storm had left the area, crossing into Canada before dissipating. But Isaias left a path of destruction and death as it raced up the East Coast after making landfall in North Carolina.
Two people were killed when a tornado struck a neighborhood in northeast North Carolina. A woman died in St. Mary's County, Md., when a tree toppled by the winds landed on her vehicle.
In New York, the storm claimed at least one life when a 60-year-old man was killed on Tuesday when a tree fell on the vehicle he was in. And on Wednesday, in New Jersey, a 68-year-old man from River Vale was killed when he came into contact with low-hanging wires as he cleared storm debris from his lawn.
Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey said the damage could have been worse if the storm had not moved so rapidly through the area. 'Like a knife through hot butter,' he told a local radio station.
Still, the scale of the damage was extensive, with fallen trees taking an enormous toll on the overhead power lines, which make up a significant portion of the region's electrical grid.
Deanne Criswell, the emergency management commissioner for New York City, said the city had received over 16,000 service requests for downed trees, the most in the city's history.
Con Edison said the outage in its service area in New York City and Westchester County was the second largest in its history, eclipsed only by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York lashed out at the utilities, accusing them of not adequately preparing for Isaias and saying the state would investigate 'how such a failure could have taken place.'
Con Edison did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Joe Fiordaliso, president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, said that some people might not have power until the end of the weekend.
Our hope is by late Friday night, 80 percent of customers will have been restored,' Mr. Fiordaliso said.
