Norwalk power outages: What happened and where to get help

NORWALK, Conn. — More than a thousand Eversource customers in Norwalk were still without power Monday, days after a powerful storm tore through Connecticut over the Fourth of July weekend.

As of the latest count, 1,094 of Norwalk’s 33,320 Eversource customers had no power. That’s about 3.28% of the city’s Eversource customers.

City crews worked through the night

The City of Norwalk said its Department of Public Works worked through the night to remove fallen trees and debris and reopen closed roads.

The city is asking anyone who sees downed power lines to stay away from them. Crews are working to restore outages across the city.

Flood watch in effect through tonight

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for southern Connecticut, including Fairfield County, through late tonight. Forecasters say another 2 to 3 inches of rain is likely, with some spots seeing 4 inches or more. Rain could fall at up to 2 inches an hour at times, which can lead to flash flooding.

The Weather Service says people living in flood-prone areas should be ready to act if flooding begins, and everyone should keep an eye on later forecasts for possible flood warnings.

Statewide picture

Eversource said Sunday afternoon that it had restored power to roughly 60,000 customers since the storm began, but about 62,000 customers statewide still had no power.

The company is bringing in extra crews from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Canada to help.

“This storm was significantly more powerful and widespread than was forecasted and caused substantial damage in several states throughout the entire region, including Connecticut, and we continue to assess the widespread and extensive damage to the electric system,” said Eversource President of Connecticut Electric Operations Don Scacco.

Scacco said there were winds over 65 miles per hour, knocking tree limbs and branches onto power lines statewide. He said crews would keep working around the clock until every customer had power back.

What residents can do

If you still don’t have power, here’s what to know:

• Report your outage. Report it online at eversource.com or call 800-286-2000.
• Text for updates. Text STAT to 23129 for live restoration updates from Eversource.
• Stay away from downed wires. Treat every downed line as if it’s live. Keep kids and pets away, and call 911 right away if you see one.
• Call 211 for non-emergency help. This is the number to call if you need help finding shelter, food, or other resources during the outage.
• Watch your food. If your power has been out for several hours, check whether the food in your fridge or freezer is still safe to eat. The CDC has guidelines on this at cdc.gov.
• Be careful with generators. Keep your generator well away from your home or business, and make sure the transfer switch works properly. Never run one inside your home or garage.
• Watch for tangled wires during cleanup. If you’re cutting or moving fallen tree limbs, check first for wires that may be tangled in the debris.
• Check for medical needs. If someone in your home depends on medical equipment that requires power, call 911 if you lose power and can’t reach a safe backup plan.
• Watch for flooding. With more rain expected tonight, avoid driving through flooded roads and stay away from low-lying areas prone to flash flooding.