Cleanup efforts are underway after a nor'easter impacted parts of the East Coast over the weekend, bringing waves up to 14 feet, flooding, and damaging winds from New England to New Jersey. The storm caused power outages for many residents. Jeffrey Brown reports.
The storm affected the same coastline that attracted crowds during the summer, resulting in dangerous waves and flooding in low-lying neighborhoods in New Jersey, which turned streets into waterways.
In Massachusetts, wind gusts reached residents' doorsteps, with one resident, Sue Mastria from Wareham, reporting damage from a falling tree that totaled her car.
As of last night, the storm was centered near Cape May, New Jersey, having moved through New York City, Long Island, and much of Southern New England. In New York, a Housing Authority worker was killed when a tree fell on him during the storm. Although New York City avoided most of the heavy rain, strong winds affected tourists, including Adolfo Mendoza, who had to cancel plans to attend a Yankees game.
Travel disruptions were widespread throughout the Northeast, with hundreds of flights canceled or delayed in New York and Boston. At times, over 100,000 customers across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic experienced power outages. In Massachusetts, the storm revealed wood believed to be from a shipwreck off Nantucket's South Shore in 1884.
Meanwhile, storms on the West Coast posed additional challenges. In Mexico, heavy rain and strong winds from Hurricane Polo led to evacuations, port closures, and school cancellations. A resident in Cabo San Lucas noted the impact of climate change on the intensity of storms.
Hurricane Polo, classified as a Category 3 hurricane, caused residents to prepare for potential flooding, while beaches along parts of California's coast were closed due to safety concerns. Additionally, Hurricane Nolo affected the Hawaiian Islands with strong winds and heavy rain, prompting National Guard rescues as the Big Island narrowly avoided a direct hit.
For the PBS News Hour, I'm Jeffrey Brown.