Thousands Without Power in RiverDell, Several Days Until Full Restoration

With the worst of the flooding miracously avoiding the RiverDell area, residents will be in for a long haul in most parts of town without any power. Approximately 4,000 to 10,000 residents may spend the next several days without power across both towns.

 “PSE&G will be working around the clock to assess the damage and restore service," Ralph LaRossa, PSE&G president, said in a press release Monday morning." Given the destructive nature of this storm, however, some customers may be without service for seven or more days. Our urban centers were especially hard hit as a result of substation flooding. One of our first priorities is to get those stations back in service.”  

Hurricane Sandy's high winds knocked down trees and wires throughout both towns and the company had shut down a handful of substations to prevent damage during the storm.

"About 20 to 25 homes were damaged by trees," Oradell OEM Coordinator Derek Kahill said. "Approximately 60 to 70 percent of town is without power. There are several traffic lights are out. The DPW and extra tree crews are out trying to remove trees and get roads open.  Several power lines and poles are down in various parts of town."

River Edge Police Lt. Richard Curran added that the borough is also facing several power lines and trees that were downed during the storm and several roads are closed.

"Use caution," Curran said. "Do not touch any and all downed wires."

Currently the River Edge and Oradell Libraries are closed due to a lack of power.

One thing the area did not face was the heavy flooding that was seen during Hurricane Irene. There was no reported flooding in Oradell and Hackensack Avenue near Grand Avenue in River Edge which was closed Monday due to flooding still had water in the roadway. 

Fire Department boats were dispatched to Moonachie to assist in major water evacuations after last night's high tide surge flooded the town along with Little Ferry and Carlstadt under four feet of water.

Due to unsafe roadways, trick-or-treating on Halloween has been cancelled. Children in River Edge will be allowed to go out on Nov. 3.

“We have a long road ahead of us, but I have complete confidence we are going to come out of this better and stronger than before,” Gov. Chris Christie said in a northjersey.com report following a briefing this morning at the State Police’s emergency command center in West Trenton.

All NJ Transit rail, bus, light rail services have been suspended as every line in the NJ Transit system, including the Pascack Valley and Bergen and Main lines have been impacted by the storm.

“The NJ TRANSIT system has experienced unprecedented devastation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Destruction summarizes the impact to rails, rail yards, bus depot and critical operation centers”, said NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman and NJ Department of Transportation Commissioner James Simpson in a press release. “With the break of daylight, NJ TRANSIT began to inspect and assess the full extent of the damage.  Our employees are committed to restoring the system as safely and efficiently as humanly possible.”

At this time, no decision has been made whether area schools will open on Wednesday.

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