Sandy – Storm Alerts, continuously updated

0
The Black Dog dock was nearly submerged. — Photo by Ralph Stewart

Updated 12:10 pm

Tisbury selectmen have moved their meeting to 5 pm, Thursday.

The Trustees reported to trails on Norton Point and Chappy are close to vehicles.

Aquinnah, Chilmark town halls are open.

Updated 8:38 am, Tuesday

The Oak Bluffs Public Library will open at 12 noon and remain open until 8 pm.

Tisbury town hall offices will open at 10 am this morning.

Lower Main Street in Edgartown, Five Corners in Vineyard Haven, East Chop Drive and Beach Road are open.

The Steamship Authority and the Chappy ferry have received approval from the Coast Guard to resume service.

Updated 6:30 am, Tuesday

Steamship Authority will not resume service until the U.S. Coast Guard has had an opportunity, after first light this morning, to survey any local navigational buoys that may be out of position or missing.

A further update will be issued by the Steamship Authority as soon as we have received permission from the Captain of the Port to resume service.

Updated 7:20 pm, Monday

Crews are responding to reports of downed wires and poles on fire in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven.

Updated 2:25 pm, Monday

Tree branches have fallen on North Road near the Jenkinson residence and the Native Earth Teaching Farm. The road may be blocked.

A tree has fallen on wires at Franklin Terrace, Vineyard Haven. Report of the tree on fire. NStar has been notified.

Tree down on Fairfield Avenue.

Main Street, Vineyard Haven is closed from Grove Street due to a fallen tree that struck an electrical wire.Tree down at the Panhandle Road in West Tisbury.The gas shack at the end of VH Marina dock is heavily damaged.

The Chilmark Community Center, a designated shelter, will close at noon, Tuesday.

Updated 12:25 pm, Monday

Tree down on West Spring Street in Vineyard Haven near the water works. Reports of trees, wires down around the Island.

Updated 11:25 am, Monday

Wing Road in Oak Bluffs will be closed for a short time near the school while the Highway department cuts up a tree they downed as a precaution.

Reports of sparking wires on State Road by the Ag Hall in West Tisbury.

Work crews are responding to reports of tree limbs down.

Updated 10:40 am, Monday

Lagoon Pond Road in Tisbury has been closed to traffic.

Tisbury Firefighters: Tisbury fire trucks, except for truck number 651, have been relocated to the town’s new Emergency Services Facility.

Updated 9:30 am, Monday

Although Sandy’s full impact has yet to be felt, Martha’s Vineyard is already experiencing the effects of storm surge and increasingly high wind gusts.

Beach Road between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown is closed due to flooding.

Beach Road between Five Corners in Vineyard Haven and Temahigan Avenue in Oak Bluffs is closed due to flooding.

Ambulance traffic is being rerouted to the back hospital entrance.

East Chop Drive in Oak Bluffs is closed due to fears of erosion.

Lake Avenue between Circuit Avenue extension and Dukes County Avenue is closed due to flooding.

The Steamship Authority has ceased operation.

All school and public offices are closed.

Updates from Sunday

Martha’s Vineyard officials met Sunday afternoon to coordinate preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy and expected wind, rain and storm surge. The meeting in the Dukes County administration building began with a Mass Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) conference call attended by Governor Deval Patrick and more than 450 callers from across the state.

A Code Red announcement using the Islandwide telephone/email emergency notification system was issued at 5 pm, Sunday, describing Sandy as a large and dangerous system.

“We will experience damaging winds, and widespread power outages over an unusually long period of time,” the message, printed in its entirety below, delivered to Island residents said. “South facing beaches will be especially hazardous due to high energy surf generated by this storm, as well as due to severe beach erosion, and potentially severe coastal flooding.”

The full text of the Code Red message follows:

“Island emergency management officials issued the following Code Red message Sunday.

“This is a public safety message concerning hurricane Sandy. Sandy is now a large and dangerous system. We will experience damaging winds, and wide-spread power outages over an unusually long period of time. South facing beaches will be especially hazardous due to high energy surf generated by this storm, as well as due to severe beach erosion, and potentially severe coastal flooding.

“We expect these conditions to begin early tomorrow, Monday, October 29, with a good chance of lasting well into Tuesday and possibly Wednesday.

“All Vineyard Public Schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday. All town halls will be closed Monday and possibly Tuesday. The Steamship Authority is suspending operations beginning Monday.

“If your property is prone to flooding, consider locating to higher ground. A shelter will be opened at the Chilmark Community Center starting at 6pm today Sunday, October 28.

“Take precautions now to protect yourself, your family, and your property. By now you should have assembled non-persishable food, water, flashlight and batteries, portable battery-powered radio, and have secured all loose items in your yard.

“Please stay off the roads during the storm and afterwards to allow clean-up crews to do their work unimpeded. Some roads may be impassable.

“Check your town and local webpages for updates.

“Thank you, and stay safe.”

Shelter opened

The Chilmark Community Center will opened at 6 pm Sunday to provide emergency shelter for people threatened by coastal flooding.

VTA will operate

The VTA will continue to operate “until it is no longer safe to do so,” Angela Grant, VTA director, said.

Residents are asked to stay off the roads on Monday.

Coast Guard prepares

In anticipation of the storm, the Coast Guard moved vessels from Station Menemsha to New Bedford Harbor.

Station Chief Jason Olsen said that wind and wave predictions exceeded the capabilities of the two vessels and crew ratings. Remaining in Menemsha Harbor would have put the vessels at risk of being damaged, he said.