MEMA: Life Returning to Normal After Storm

Hurricane Arthur brought heavy rain and strong winds into Mass.

Residents were salvaging the remainder of their holiday weekend after Hurricane Arthur dumped surprising amounts of rain and unleashed strong winds in parts of Massachusetts, where life was returning to normal on Saturday, state emergency officials said.

The storm left about 20,000 homes and businesses without power Friday. Utility companies had restored electricity to most customers by Saturday, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency spokesman Peter Judge said.

The hurricane was more of a rainstorm than a windstorm for the eastern third of the state, he said. It dumped about 8 inches of rain in parts of southeastern Massachusetts, causing flooding in New Bedford. The water receded Saturday, Judge said.

Most of the state received 1 to 3 inches of rain, according to National Weather Service.

The agency said the storm hit Cape Cod and the neighboring islands the hardest, with Nantucket enduring winds of up to 63 mph.

That generated high waves that led to cancellation of ferry services Friday, but ferries resumed work on Saturday, Judge said.

"Generally speaking, I think we fared pretty well," he said.

Most towns responded to local needs without asking for state help, Judge said.

"Most of the communities had their emergency plans in place and were able to respond to their community needs because they were ready," Judge said.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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