Storms knock out power to more than 120K in R.I.

TUESDAY MORNING'S storm knocked down trees all over the region, blocking streets, including here on Warwick Neck Ave. in Warwick in front of the Aldrich Mansion. / PBN PHOTO/ROGER C. BERGENHEIM
TUESDAY MORNING'S storm knocked down trees all over the region, blocking streets, including here on Warwick Neck Ave. in Warwick in front of the Aldrich Mansion. / PBN PHOTO/ROGER C. BERGENHEIM

(Updated 11:11 a.m. and 12:43 p.m.)
PROVIDENCE – More than 120,000 National Grid customers in Rhode Island are without power due to an early morning thunderstorm that swept through the region.
National Grid’s power outage map on its website shows that Bristol County is expected to have power restored by 2:30 p.m., while power is expected to be back in Kent County at 3:15 p.m., Newport County at 2:45 p.m., Providence County at 3 p.m. and Washington County at 3:15 p.m.
In Massachusetts, approximately 10,000 customers are without power in Bristol County; power there is projected to return by 3:15 p.m.

“It’s going to be a difficult task to get power restored. It will take in some cases most of the day today, if not longer, or into this evening. We ask customers to be patient. We have crews on the road,” National Grid spokesman David Graves told WPRI-TV CBS 12.

The R.I. Public Transit Authority is advising passengers to expect delays and detours on most routes due to traffic, downed trees and closed roads as a result of the storm. RIPTA reported at 12:15 p.m. that power and phone service has been restored to its headquarters at 705 Elmwood Ave.

All RIde paratransit vans have been dispatched to pick up passengers who made appointments on Monday for Tuesday.
Delays also are expected for RIde passengers. RIde is the paratransit service for passengers with disabilities.

- Advertisement -

Until power is restored to RIPTA headquarters, RIde passengers will not be able to call in to make appointments for Wednesday. RIPTA will notify the media as soon as its phones are operational. Also, RIPTA will post updates to its website and social media when power is restored.

The R.I. Emergency Management Agency is urging Rhode Islanders to use caution in the wake of the severe thunderstorm.

While damage assessments are currently still underway, the majority of the power outages occurred in the Cranston/Warwick area, the agency said.

“We urge Rhode Islanders to use caution while removing debris from their property and conducting personal damage assessments,” RIEMA Director Peter Gaynor said in a statement. “While the storm has passed, there are several hazards that still exist due to downed trees and power lines, and flooded roads. We have activated the State Emergency Operations Center and are working very closely with state agencies and local emergency managers, as well as National Grid and Red Cross, to assess damage throughout the state.”

Some injuries have occurred due to downed trees stemming from the storm, but no casualties have been reported, RIEMA said.

The National Weather Service said there is a chance of additional showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m., and that some storms could be severe, with hail, damaging winds, heavy rain and lightning.

No posts to display