Carroll County Assesses Effects of Hurricane Sandy

Road closures due to flooding and downed trees and wires seem to be keeping county crews the busiest following a night of Hurricane Sandy. 

Roberta Windham of Carroll County government said that there were no reported deaths as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

As of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30, BGE is reporting that 3,037 Carroll County residents are without power. There are currently 192,433 BGE customers without power across the state.

Windham said there doesn't appear to be any damage to county facilities but that building inspectors are checking facilities. 

Sixteen people used the Winters Mill High School shelter last night and Windham encouraged people who are still without power to consider using a shelter today as the temperatures will remain chilly. No one used the shelter at Century High School, Windham said.

The county is encouraging people to stay home today and to use extreme caution when out on the roads. She said the storm -- winds and rain -- will continue throughout the day which means there could be additional flooding and downed trees and power lines.

Windham said that the county's emergency operation center remains fully operational. Residents with questions or problems can continue to call the EOC and speak to an actual person, not a recording, at 1-888-5-GET EOC (1-888-543-8362).

Windham offered the following tips for residents:

• Don’t drive through flooded streets.  
• Don’t touch downed lines.  
• If you’re without power, seriously consider using one of the shelters – the weather is expected to be cold.   
• If people choose to remain in their homes, please use extreme caution with alternative sources of heat – use only devices that are intended for indoor use and use the device according to manufacturers’ instructions. 

Windham also warned residents that damaged trees will continue to pose a problem throughout the day due to the ground being saturated and continuing winds. She said trees may still topple and there is the potential for large limbs and branches to break off and cause damage. 

Check here to learn about road closures in Carroll County. 

Have photos or video of the storm and/or storm damage? Share them in Patch's Hurricane Sandy photo gallery. 

Check out Patch's comprehensive Hurricane Sandy coverage.