Mayor Says Storm Damage Is 'Worst Since The Blizzard Of ’78'

QUINCY, MA — Thousands in Quincy remain in the dark and roads are underwater following Friday's powerful storm.

In an update Saturday afternoon, Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch said the majority of the outages are located in West Quincy and Houghs Neck. As of midnight Sunday, 4,150 homes in the city do not have power, with a restoration time of March 6, 11:45 p.m. The time is the same given to all outages in the area. National Grid is in the area and will spend the next two days working on power lines. Tree crews are also working to remove downed trees and branches.

Some roads were closed Saturday in anticipation of midday's high tide, which is expected to be the last to present a challenge. Friday's high tides were notable for flooding nearby roads and causing damage to homes. One resident from Seagull Road staying at a shelter told Koch that one wave was so powerful that it broke through one of their home's walls.

Koch told WBZ that the damage left by the storm is the worst since the Blizzard of '78. More than 100 people who were tapped by flooding were saved by Quincy Police, Quincy Fire, and the National Guard. Many of them were stuck in the Houghs Neck neighborhood, which is a peninsula surrounded by water.

People continued to be evacuated throughout the day.

Sea Street remained closed and under three feet of water. It was opened late Saturday night, but police cautioned that it could be closed again during the 12:30 a.m. high tide.

Once high tide passes, the city will focus on cleanup and removing debris from the roads. Pickups will be scheduled for anyone looking to get rid of items damaged during the storm.

No injuries or deaths have been reported, according to Koch.

Quincy High School and the Atherton Hough School remain open as shelters.

Image via Quincy Police Department