BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Heavy rains and wind made their way into Western New York Thursday evening and brought on power outages and other issues.
Several thousand residents are without power Thursday night and the number is expected to fluctuate. To keep updated on estimated restoration times with NYSEG, click here. For National Grid, click here.
Starting at 8p.m. Thursday, a HIGH WIND WARNING has been issued for Niagara, Orleans, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua Counties through 1p.m. Friday. The warning is in effect for Allegany County from midnight through 1p.m. Friday.
A LAKESHORE FLOOD WARNINGhas also been issued for the lake shore of Erie and Chautauqua counties from Thursday evening through Friday.
“As always we’re preparing for the worst, so that we can provide the best response to city residents given whatever Mother Nature throws at us," Michael Finn, Buffalo Public Works Commissioner, said in a press conference Thursday afternoon.
The Buffalo Police Department has closed the Erie Basin Marina and Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, formerly LaSalle Park, to pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
Garbage and recycling pick-up both still on schedule for Friday, but the city is recommending you put your totes at the curb after 7 a.m.
"If this storm delivers as forecasted, I ask that we check up on each other like we also do in the City of Good Neighbors," Mayor Byron Brown said.
Storm update: BPD closing Erie Basin Marina & Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park(Formerly LaSalle Park) at 8pm. Closed to pedestrians & vehicular traffic. High Wind Warning starts at 8pm.
— Buffalo Police Dept (@BPDAlerts) October 31, 2019
To the Southtowns, emergency workers in the Village of Hamburg shared the streets with some devoted trick-or-treaters. The kids showed up to houses that had flooding earlier in the evening. Residents said the village DPW came to clear their drains.
Sean Crotty, the Town of Hamburg Emergency Manager, said residents are a big help in these situations.
"They're out in their communities and neighborhoods, if they can keep an eye on their storm sewers in front of their residences, you know help us keep that clear, that will minimize the impact of the flooding," Crotty said.
The Erie County Water Authority also reports that there is a power failure and tank outage, which is causing no water/low pressure in West Seneca. Crews are working on the issue and estimate it to be resolved around 8:45 p.m. Thursday.
John Demma of West Seneca has lived at his home on Phyllis Drive for over 20 years and said his backyard has never been this bad. The water nearly leveled with the swing that Demma said is about 8 inches off the ground.
"This is 100 times worse than it's ever been," Demma said.
Check here for updates.
