Sandy Death Toll Rises; Hundreds of Thousands Without Power Still

By Tom O’Halloren/Rob DiRienzo

HACKETTSTOWN — Hundreds of thousands throughout New Jersey are still without power in the wake ofHurricane Sandy.

Hundreds line up outside of the Hess station in Hackettstown to get gas for their generators Tuesday. (COURTESY TOM DUHAMEL – WRNJ Staff)

The storm has claimed at least 40 lives, locally including a man whose body was pulled from the Hackensack River Tuesday and a 61-year-old Princeton man killed Monday night by a tree that fell on him as he cleared debris from his driveway.

Approximately 7,500 company personnel, outside contractors, and outside utility workers are responding to the roughly 2.5 million now without power in the state. Please let those without power know that the work has begun, but with those numbers it’s likely to be a number of days before power’s restored. JCP&L is sticking to their 7-10 day restoration estimate.

JCP&L estimates over 39,000 of residents in Warren County alone.

The Hackettstown Municipal Utility Authority has released a statement saying they have received an uptick in questions from customers regarding the impacts on the water supply. The HMUA is telling customers that they have backup generators operating which will allow water to be pumped throughout the distribution system. The Authority says the water is perfectly safe.

Click here for a list of school closings.

Click here for local shelters.

WRNJ will keep you updated on air and online.