PORTLAND, Maine, USA —
Utility workers are scrambling to restore power to thousands of families in Maine as some river levels continue to rise, flooding populations and winds reaching 96 kilometers per hour (60 mph). in some areas. At least four people died.
“We have several days of restoration work ahead of us with hundreds of workers,” Central Maine Power, the state's largest electricity provider, said Monday night in an online message.
Some cities received 3 inches (7.6 cm) of rain during the storm. In Vermont, towns that were flooded in July suffered extensive damage. Some school districts remained closed Tuesday.
More than 5 inches (13 cm) of rain fell in parts of New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania, and other states elsewhere recorded up to 4 inches (10 cm) of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Wind gusts of up to 70 mph (113 km/h) were reported along the southern New England coast.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills delayed the opening of government offices until noon Tuesday to allow time for repairs and cleanup after downed trees closed several roads. An Augusta office will be closed for storm-damaged scaffolding to be removed.
“If you must travel, please use caution and leave the road open for crews and crews restoring power and clearing the roads,” Mills said in a message urging people to avoid traffic congestion.
Maine had nearly 430,000 customers without power as of Tuesday morning, nearly half of its utility customers, according to Poweroutage.us.
There are some overflows in the river. Androscoggin, in Rumford, Maine, reached 6.7 meters (22 feet) in the 24 hours through early Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. The flood level is 4.6 meters (15 feet).
