Fels High School is the nearest shelter in the Northeast. Currently, there are 46 people and 11 pets. (Maria Pouchnikova)
The city of Philadelphia essentially shut down on Monday in anticipation of the arrival of the worst of the brute force of Hurricane Sandy.
SEPTA buses, trolleys and regional rail lines shut down between midnight Sunday and 2 a.m. Monday. City offices were closed and only public safety and emergency service personnel were expected to report to work on Monday.
The Philadelphia School District and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia schools, as well as many charter schools, did not reopen for classes on Monday.
“This is all about public safety,” Nutter said at a Sunday news conference. “We do not what our children out in hurricane-dangerous winds, trees and possibly tree limbs falling, power lines on the ground and flood waters rising.
“Children as well as adults should not be out in those conditions.”
The hurricane, now a category one hurricane, started with rains on Sunday night that turned into heavy rains on Monday. Winds were expected to pick up Monday afternoon. The strongest gusts were expected between 4 p.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday.
The storm was expected to bring heavy rains, 5 to 10 inches between Monday morning and Tuesday morning.
Flooding of the Delaware and Schuylkill were likely, and streams and creeks, such as the Pennypack, were expected to rise over their banks.
This Northeast Times website will continue to post updates throughout the storm. Please check back for more information.
Readers are asked to email storm photos and information about flooding, street closures, storm-related damage as well as cancellations to pronews@bsmphilly.com Write storm in the subject line.
Editor Lillian Swanson can be reached at 215–354–3030 or lswanson@bsmphilly.com
