Community Corner

Assessing Irene's Impact on South Central Connecticut

"The Towns Around Us" takes a look at what's making headlines in neighboring communities.

The destruction was unlike anything seen in decades.

Homes washed away into the Long Island Sound; floodwaters ruined others. Trees crashed onto homes, into streets and on top of electric lines.

The power outage numbers were historic — hundreds of thousands of residents were left in the dark and, even a week later, some still are.

Find out what's happening in North Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Indeed, no community in Connecticut was exempt from Hurricane Irene’s wrath when she hit the state Aug. 28 with tropical-force winds, several inches of rain and a powerful storm surge.

A week later, many communities are still sorting through debris, salvaging personal belongings and beginning the process of rebuilding their lives.

Find out what's happening in North Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In this special edition of The Town Around Us, we look back at how Irene affected some towns in South Central Connecticut.
 
EAST HAVEN – More than two-dozen homes along the beach were destroyed or severely damaged. One resident shares his story on video. Another, a professional photographer, went out and captured the damage through his lens. Photos of the storm damage reveal the extent of the storm’s impact in town.
 
BRANFORD – The surge’s power was something to behold. It took out roads and flooded homes. Streets were littered in debris. Damage was not limited to the coast, though; every part of town was impacted.
 
MILFORD – Houses along the beach took a beating on Sunday. Huge waves pounded and crashed. A storm surge swept a few away and left streets covered in debris. From Fort Trumbull to Laurel Beach, Milford felt Irene’s impact.
 
STRATFORD – Neighborhoods along the coast, like Lordship, were among the hardest hit. Seawalls were washed away; homes were ruined.
 
CHESHIRE – A tree crashed through the roof of one home. Another, on Wood Pond Road, was uprooted entirely.
 
HAMDEN – Residents were left in the dark for several days, and .


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