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Hurricane Sandy Arriving in Delmarva (Update)

Hurricane Sandy, noaa

Winds from Hurricane Sandy have begun to hit the Delmarva coast.

The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood warning  as well as a flood warning for the entire peninsula until at least midnight tonight -- although it will most like be extended through tomorrow (Tuesday).

A high wind warning is also in effect for Delmarva through Tuesday morning.

Power Outages

An estimated 5-thousand Delmarva Power customers are now without power, in part due to the unusual flooding and high winds that have swept across the peninsula from Hurricane Sandy. Delmarva Power's Matt Likovich outlines the problems ahead adding that it would take a couple of days to get power restored in this kind of storm.

Bay Bridge Alert

Maryland transportation officials plan to close the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at 1 pm because of Hurricane Sandy based on wind predictions.

The bridge is already under wind restrictions that are imposed for sustained wind gusts of 40 to 49 miles per hour.

Dover Air Force Base

Some of the aircraft at Dover Air Force Base has relocated in preparation for the hurricane. 

FEMA has also requested that Dover Air Force Base be used as a staging area for support and supplies.

Damage To OC Pier.

WBOC TV is reporting that Hurricane Sandy has done significant damage to the downtown pier in Ocean City.

Police department spokesman Mike Levy told the television station that the damage occurred overnight as the storm hit the resort town with massive wind and rain.

WBOC TV reports the pier is at the southern end of the Boardwalk in an area south of 17th Street that's been under a mandatory evacuation order since Sunday afternoon because of flooding.

Tracy Marie, a front desk worker at a Holiday Inn & Suites in Ocean City, told the television station that the pier was an icon and about as close to the ocean as one could get without going in to the water.

Ocean City Warning

Ocean City officials are telling those remaining the resort to seek shelter for the rest of the storm. They are warning those still in the resort to stay indoors and away from windows or glass doors.  Officials recommend that they keep the curtains and blinds closed, that all interior doors should be shut and that external doors should be secured and braced.  Residents should also stay in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level.

Driving Restrictions

Governor Jack Markell has issued Level Two driving restriction in anticipation of high winds along with severe flooding. Employers can not require non-essential employees to come to work during the restrictions. Kevin Wilson says the restriction will minimize the number of drivers on the roadways which are hampered by poor conditions and limited driving visibility. Officials now expect to see sustained winds of 35 mph increasing to 45 mph by late afternoon. Some wind gusts could reach as high as 60 mph.  Precipitation could accumulate to as much as two to three inches. By tonight, some gusts could reach as high as 70 mph.

Evacuations

Meanwhile, Governor Markell has order an evacuation of the coastal areas. These include the communities of Slaugther Beach, Prime Hook, Broadkill Beach, Long Neck and oak Orchard. In addition, residents have been ordered out of Lewes Beach, Henlopen Acres, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, North Bethany, Bethany Beach, South Bethany and Fenwick Island. The evacuation zone also includes areas alng the Nanticoke River and Broad Creak.

In Maryland, residents in the Ocean City area have also been ordered to leave the resort east of Ocean Parkway in Ocean Pines and below 17th street in Ocean City as well as in flood-prone areas. All traffic on Route 50 into Ocean City is now prohibited.

The Maryland Highway Administration says it has more than 640 crews out across the state with an additional 15-hundred operations personnel across the region.  

Shelters

Shelters are also available as the storm hits the peninsula.

In Sussex County, Cape Henlopen High School, Indian River High School and Milford Middle School are open.

In Worcester County, shelters are located at Stephen Decatur High School, Snow Hill High School and Pocomoke High School.

Roads and Bridges

Meanwhile, Route 1 was closed yesterday in both directions because of a breach in the sand dune north of Indian River Indlet Bridge.  Officials are now concerned that dune breach could increase the amount of flooding as the storm arrives today.

On the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, wind restrictions have been imposed. For winds of up to 39 pmh, operators of house trailers, box trailers, motorcycles, vehicles with root-mounts racks containing cargo or any other vehicle that might be subject to high winds  are being advised to use caution.

In Chincoteague, the causeway has been closed because of tidal flooding. The causeway connected Chincoteague Island with Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Delmarva Power

Delmarva Power has nearly 360 internal and contract line personnel as well as 200 tree removal workers up for immediate response. Delmarva Power's Parent compnay, Pepco Holdings Inc., has also asked for 36-hundred outside crew members from other utilities. Pepco said it had commitments for 1,473 crew members, some of whom have already arrived. In addition, Delmarva Power has set up a staging areas ffor personnel and materials at the Fisker Plant in Wilmington and the Perdue Shorebirds Stadium in Salisby.

School Districts

Closed on Tuesday due to storm:  

Cape Henlopen School District

Chesapeake College

Indian River School District

Laurel School District

Salisbury University

Smyrna School District

Sussex Tech School District

Worcester County Schools

Worwic Community College

Woodbridge School District

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.