Storm Blasts Northeast, Unleashes Hurricane-force Winds

(NECN: Alysha Palumbo - Lynn, MA) - Unrelenting wind powered its way through the Bay State overnight, uprooting trees, snapping power lines and rattling homes in its path.

It was so strong it knocked out power to several homes and ripped up sidewalks in Newburyport.

Janis Hanson of Newburyport said, "It was frightening, we were sitting in the furniture and it was almost moving and we couldn't hear each other speak under the roar, it was amazing."

"It was really loud, we have newer construction but it still sounded like it was coming right through," said Stephen Reilly.

Along the shoreline, the ocean tossed and turned under the gusting winds.

One of the hardest hit areas was Plum Island where entire neighborhoods flooded.

Newbury Police Chief Michael Reilly said, "Just watching for any breaches, if it seems like there might be a breach in the dunes, we'll evacuate the residence in the affected area."

Streets became rivers from route 107 in Salem to Lynn Shore Drive in Lynn, where the ocean swelled above the sea wall, spraying passing cars.

But it was the damage that was done overnight that left people cleaning up all day Friday.

Wind gusts in Gloucester ripped the roof right off the Bass Rock Oceans Inn on Atlantic Road.

And crews had to haul two truck loads of debris from the road when part of the roof flew off this Strong Group building, also in Gloucester.

Strong Group maintenance manager Steve Skinner said, "The street was covered with roofing from the top of the roof, apparently the flashing blew off and wind got underneath it and just started peeling it back."

In Lynnfield, trees snapped in half, crashing into homes.

Marlena Dias' fianc was lying in bed when this branch shot through the ceiling.

"It was a nightmare last night, it was very bad," said Dias.

At Dick Campbell's home, a single tree smashed up three cars and damaged part of his house as it slammed onto his front yard.

Campbell said, "It ripped a ton of shingles off the side of the house, ripped the shutters off the house, everything, it did quite a bit of damage."

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