Photo: GRICHKA BEYSSON-LEANDRI / AFP / Getty Images
Thousands of residents in New Jersey remain without power following intense storms over the weekend. As of this morning, approximately 7,000 customers are still in the dark, with a significant number of outages reported in Morris and Sussex counties. Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) has indicated that most of their remaining customers should have power restored by tonight.
The severe weather, which struck last Friday and Saturday, initially left over 249,000 customers without electricity statewide. Morris County was particularly hard-hit, with more than 8,000 outages reported, while Sussex County saw over 2,600 customers affected. Paramus Mayor Christopher DiPiazza noted that power restoration efforts have been challenging due to extensive damage.
The ongoing restoration efforts involve more than 2,500 workers. However, new rounds of thunderstorms and heavy rain have hampered progress. JCP&L has warned that some areas might not see full restoration until late Thursday night. Meanwhile, forecasters predict a chance of severe storms on Thursday and Friday, which could lead to further outages.
The situation has drawn criticism from some elected officials, who have questioned Governor Mikie Sherrill's decision not to declare a state of emergency. Despite this, the state Office of Emergency Management continues to work with impacted communities to address the ongoing issues.
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