Irene may have been downgraded to a tropical storm, but it wreaked havoc in Rye and throughout the Sound Shore area. The estimated damage is in the tens of millions, according to Mayor Doug French. “This is comparable to the floods of 2007, if not worse because of the coastal surge.”

 

By Robin Jovanovich

 

Irene may have been downgraded to a tropical storm, but it wreaked havoc in Rye and throughout the Sound Shore area. The estimated damage is in the tens of millions, according to Mayor Doug French. “This is comparable to the floods of 2007, if not worse because of the coastal surge.”

 

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At high tide, 10:43 Sunday morning, Blind Brook and the Rye Marina overflowed. Boat Basin Supervisor Pete Fox reported that their dock board showed 13.8 feet of water at the Marina. Water poured into downtown basements and first floors on Elm Place and Locust Avenue.

 

And Irene did not go quietly. Late wind gusts caused another round of trees down Sunday night.

 

The City acted quickly and in concert — responding to calls for help from all over town. They opened up a drop-in shelter at Whitby Castle, in addition to the overnight shelter at Port Chester High School.

 

Approximately 600 Rye households — from Loudon Woods to Greenhaven — are without power.  Con Ed has promised to get all power restored by Thursday. Many downtown businesses had their gas turned off by Con Ed yesterday and today.

 

At Highland Hall, water from Blind Brook ruptured the oil tank, sending oil spewing up Wappanocca.

 

The North Kirby Lane pump station shut down, unable to handle the volume. The Hewlett station is still pumping.

 

On Monday, the library’s Children’s Room was closed, as was the YMCA, the Smoke Shop, Starbucks, and many other businesses.

 

Starting Tuesday, Rye’s Department of Public Works will be going through town picking up all storm debris left curbside. The seasonal leaf blower ban has been temporarily suspended to ease in the clean up.

 

Just after 10 this morning, Mr. French gave a tour of the downtown damage to local, County, and State officials and representatives. They stopped at Fong’s, Morgans, Rye Country Store, and Parkers.

 

The Mayor appealed to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, County Executive Rob Astorino and Steve Otis, on behalf of State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer for funds for controlled retention upstream. The estimate for the project is currently $7 to $10 million. “All that water flows downstream, not just to Rye, but to the entire Sound Shore. We need to act on the Bowman Retention Pond project now.”

 

Photos by Jim Byrne, Melanie Cane, Peter Donahue, Janice Llanes Fabry, Robert Flood, Pedro Garcia, Marilyn Gerrish, Andrew Gillies, Bill Gordon, Robin Jovanovich, Katie Lawrence, Evan Listokin, Annette McLoughlin, Stefan Radtke, and Cathrine White