Additional Coverage:
- Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents remain without power after storm in ‘extremely frustrating’ situation (themirror.com)
Severe thunderstorms swept through New Jersey overnight, leaving more than 120,000 residents without power early Sunday morning. The intense storms, which have intermittently affected the New York and New Jersey region over the holiday weekend, disrupted many planned celebrations marking the 250th Independence Day anniversary.
Utility crews are working around the clock to restore electricity across the Garden State ahead of additional thunderstorms forecasted for Sunday and Monday. The outages have compounded the challenges posed by a record-breaking heatwave, which has already been linked to at least 19 suspected heat-related deaths in New Jersey since Thursday, according to Governor Mikie Sherrill.
During a Saturday news briefing in Woodbridge, Dr. Raynard E.
Washington, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, reported that most fatalities occurred in central and northern parts of the state. Victims were often found in homes without air conditioning or in outdoor locations such as streets and parked vehicles.
This toll is notably higher than last year’s six heat-related deaths.
Sunday morning’s power outages affected customers of four major utility providers. Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) reported the largest number of outages, impacting approximately 84,700 customers.
PSE&G had nearly 29,000 outages, Atlantic City Electric about 2,200, and Orange & Rockland around 1,600. NJ Transit warned of potential train delays due to the heat and ongoing repairs from storm damage, with several lines still suspended.
The storms brought wind gusts reaching up to 87 mph on Long Island, comparable to a Category 2 hurricane, resulting in widespread downed trees and power lines in both states. Fireworks celebrations in Ridgewood, Bergen County, were canceled due to safety concerns.
In River Edge, also in Bergen County, fallen tree debris sparked a house fire Sunday evening. Firefighters battled the blaze for an hour, and although one firefighter sustained minor injuries, no residents were harmed. Neighbors remain without power after electrical wires were damaged.
Residents impacted by the outages described significant hardship. Nimisha Govind, a 28-year-old occupational therapist from Warren, shared how the loss of power for over 24 hours amid soaring temperatures forced her family to seek shelter elsewhere.
“The heat is making me lose my mind,” she said. Despite reassurances from JCP&L that crews would assess and restore power promptly, delays have persisted, leaving her family coping with uncomfortable and uncertain conditions.
Sea Bright resident Lee Hobbs recounted a difficult experience during the outage, which lasted more than 24 hours. While attending a nearby restaurant, patrons were asked to leave due to the approaching storm.
After losing power, Hobbs manually opened her garage door-only to watch the emergency release string break in her hands. She spent the night sitting in her car with her dog, charging her phone, and missing planned holiday events.
Power was eventually restored early Sunday morning.
As utility companies continue their efforts to bring power back online, state officials urge residents to stay vigilant during the ongoing heatwave and prepare for additional storms in the coming days.