Massachusetts Recovering After Storm Unplugs More Than 70K

MASSACHUSETTS — Power has been restored for more than 50,000 households and businesses across the state following an overnight storm that spilled into the morning, crippling the ability to work or learn remotely for many at home due to the pandemic.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, 17,701 were still without power, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Most of the outages were south of Boston.

At the storm's peak, more than 70,000 were in the dark.

A 72 mile-per-hour wind gust was recorded at Blue Hill Observatory in Milton. Powerful gusts started to wane around 9 a.m., and the sun soon followed.

Easton has been among the hardest-hit communities all day; At one point 57 percent of the town's National Grid customers were without power. As of 4:20 p.m., that number was down to more than a third — or 3,673 customers. Quincy was had 3,118 still without power, while Stoughton had 1,565.

There were also over a thousand morning outages in Amesbury, Hamilton, Stoughton, Pembroke, Hanson, Blackstone and North Adams.