KEYS Power Line Workers Assist In New York
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – A major set back for a group Florida Keys Energy Services linemen who traveled to New York to assist in restoring power after Sandy.
Wednesday night a powerful nor'easter caused even more damage and power outages.
From Brooklyn to storm-battered sections of the Jersey shore and Connecticut, about 750,000 customers in the region were without power in temperatures near freezing, some living for days in the dark.
"We lost power last week, just got it back for a day or two, and now we lost it again," said John Monticello of Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. "Every day it's the same now: turn on the gas burner for heat. Instant coffee. Use the iPad to find out what's going on in the rest of the world."
Throughout Staten Island's beach area, the storm had blanketed growing piles of debris with several inches of snow. By mid-morning, it was starting to melt, filling the streets with filthy sludge.
Roads in New Jersey and New York City were clear for the morning commute, and rail lines into New York were running smoothly so far, despite snow still coming down heavily in some areas.
The nor'easter, as promised, brought gusting winds, rain and snow, but not the flooding that was anticipated.
The Long Island Power Authority said they'll have crews out on Thursday. The LIPA said there were 125,000 new outages immediately after the storm, but about 80,000 were restored, making a total of about 300,000 customers without power.
The KEYS' crew has been working to restore power and clear downed trees in a residential section of Hicksville, New York. After the storm blew through, it was first time many in the crew saw snow first hand. It was also the first time many of them had to work in it.
When it comes to the weather, there is some good news. Temperatures over the next few days will be in the 50s and on Sunday could be in the lower 60s.
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