3K Without Power In Berkeley As Storm Rolls Through

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ — Severe thunderstorms that rolled through Ocean County Friday evening left more than 3,000 Berkeley Township homes without power.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect until 8 p.m. Friday, and the National Weather Service said more rain, thunder and lightning is possible until Sunday, part of the remnants of Hurricane Laura.

There were nearly 20,000 homes and businesses across Ocean County without power as of 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Jersey Central Power & Light's computer-generated estimate of restoration was 9 p.m. There were more than three dozen reports of damage in the area.

Island Heights police reported a transformer caught fire in the area of Vansant Avenue, and the road is closed between Cedar Avenue and Tennent Street.

Here are the number of outages by town in Ocean County as of 7:30 p.m.

• Beachwood 30
• Berkeley Township 3,024
• Island Heights 77
• Lacey Township 50
• Lakewood Township 182
• Manchester Township 1,630
• Pine Beach 29
• Seaside Park 13
• South Toms River 23
• Toms River 14,811

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