SUPERSTORM SANDY
October 30, 2012
EAST COAST HIT HARD, VERMONT MOSTLY SPARED
Dear Fellow Vermonter,
While Superstorm Sandy did devastating damage to parts of the east coast, we are all very grateful that initial reports suggest the damage to our state appears to be minimal. Having gone through the pain of Hurricane Irene last year, we know what it means to wake up and find one's home destroyed or severely damaged.
In Vermont, more than 40,000 customers lost their electricity. Green Mountain Power crews working throughout the night restored service to 28,693 of their 36,000 customers who were without power. We appreciate the great work our utility crews did. As of 7:30 a.m., GMP reported that 7,344 customers remained without service.
"We lucked out,'' National Weather Service Meteorologist Scott Whittier told Vermont Public Radio. The storm did bring 50-mph winds and rain to much of the state, but there were no reports of significant flooding. Many schools were closed.
Tragically, at least 11 deaths were tied to the storm in the mid-Atlantic region where power was knocked out for 6 million households. In New York City, the subways were flooded with saltwater. Cars floated through the streets of lower Manhattan. Atlantic City was inundated. In Washington, D.C., federal officials closed government offices but the area escaped the worst of the devastation.
Our hearts go out to our fellow citizens who will now begin the process of rebuilding in the aftermath of this historic storm.
Sincerely,
Senator Bernie Sanders
