Stormy weather causes power outages and flooding in parts of Connecticut

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) – This wet Wednesday is causing power outages and flooding in parts of Connecticut.

A scary scene in Haddam after live power lines fell onto the roof of a school bus carrying students. According to police, 13 students and a bus driver were stranded on Maple Avenue for hours this afternoon after live power lines were knocked down by a fallen tree branch.

Severe storm with strong winds and heavy rain causes power outages in Connecticut

Luckily no one was injured.

Haddam Volunteer Fire Department, police and Eversource responded. The power was cut and the bus was finally able to drive off and take the students to their parents.

According to the Eversource outage map, more than 1,000 customers lost power in the area, which makes up a quarter of the city.

According to police, the school bus incident was the third power line accident in the city that day due to heavy rain and strong winds.

Coastal towns and cities prepared for heavy rains and flooding coupled with high tides at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday evening.

“When flooding happens here, it happens very quickly, flooding, there’s not much warning,” said Rick Fontana, West Haven’s director of emergency operations.

In New London, Jersey barriers with sandbags were set up to contain the rising tide and Stonington Public Works crews cleared storm drains.

New drain gates are in place in West Haven.

“We put up barriers, people drove around the barriers, got stuck in the water and then had to be rescued by the fire department,” Fontana said. “So we’ve taken it to another level and are upping our game in public safety.”

West Haven safety officers are monitoring flooding at the two worst flooding locations, Campbell Avenue at York Street and Washington Avenue at Wood Street, where gates are ready to protect vehicles from dangerous flooding. Fontana said more than a dozen vehicles have broken down in these areas in recent years.

“This happens a lot,” Fontana said. “People are constantly trying to beat the system and everyone is in a hurry and thinks they can do it and then they don’t and it becomes a nightmare. People might panic and three feet of water when you can’t swim is not good. Hopefully we save someone’s life.”

Aside from public safety, the city said these locks will save drivers thousands of dollars in repairs.

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