Fast-Moving Storms Featuring Damaging Winds Leave Many Powerless In Tri-State
Updated at 8:04 a.m., July 27, 2012
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The massive clean up is under way today, following Thursday's fast but furious storms that left a lot of damage across the Tri-State
While the storm moved quickly, it caused damage in the form of downed trees and power lines. In the aftermath, a number of roads were closed and area airports were experiencing delays.
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The big story, however, was the significant amount of power outages being reported across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
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There were reports of trees and wires down in River Vale, Saddle River, North Brunswick Township and East Brunswick in New Jersey, along with Haverstraw in Rockland County and in Fairfield, Conn. Middletown in Orange County and parts of Westchester County also experienced similar damage, officials said.
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Earlier, there were reports of 60 mph winds on the Tappan Zee Bridge. There was also a report of a tractor trailer blown over on I-80 near the Delaware Water Gap.
MAN INJURED FOLLOWING LIGHTNING STRIKE
Lightning struck the steeple of Christ Church of Cobble Hill in Brooklyn. One man was seriously injured and taken to Long Island College Hospital after huge stones came toppling off the facade and onto the scaffolding and street below.
It wasn't immediately clear if the man was struck by the huge stone pieces or scaffolding. No one else was hurt and the Buildings Department secured the scene, officials said.
Church rector Ronald Lau told 1010 WINS' Sonia Rincon that he is concerned about damage.
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"I'm concerned for the safety of the people around here. I'm concerned about a very important, historical building. I'm a bit shaken up," Lau said.
STORM DAMAGE ON LONG ISLAND
The storm that whipped through Nassau and Suffolk counties brought down wires and even stopped trains in their tracks.
Passengers were forced off an eastbound Long Island Rail Road train on the Oyster Bay line. It sat stranded after fierce winds and whipping rain brought a tree crashing down onto the tracks, blocking any trains from continuing onward, officials said.
"They couldn't go through because there was a tree on the tracks," Mario Rey of Oyster Bay told CBS 2's Jessica Schneider. "I saw lightning, a lot of lightning, and then the tree fell over."
The wicked weather also put sailors on high alert. The annual Race Around Long Island Regatta was postponed until Friday morning so the storm could pass through.
STORM DAMAGE IN NEW JERSEY
The powerful storm knocked out power for thousands in the Garden State.
Police and fire forced a stretch of Piermont Road in River Vale closed because of a fallen tree in the distance that snapped wires and took out power. More than a dozen homes in the area were left in dark as the worst of the storm came through, officials said.
"The rain was not bad at that time, but the wind was really bad. I could barely open my door," resident Erin Scott told CBS 2's Derricke Dennis.
Once inside, Scott found darkness. The only light came in the form of candles in the kitchen and the bathroom. But three hours later, power was restored much to the delight of locals.
The storm also brought powerful winds throughout North Jersey. In Upper Saddle River, the clouds rolled in and then the sky opened up to a torrential downpour. The rain made for a miserable night and the loss of power created fear among residents who have weathered countless storms in the past.
TORNADO IN THE SOUTHERN TIER OF NY?
Also, there were no immediate reports of injuries after a possible tornado hit the city of Elmira on Thursday afternoon. A state of emergency and curfew were in effect until 8 a.m. Friday in the city, with only emergency vehicles allowed on the streets while fallen trees and power lines were being cleared.
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