RHODE ISLAND (WHDH)–Nearly 75,000 people across Rhode Island are without power following the arrival of Tropical Storm Henri on Sunday, which officially made landfall near Westerly around 12:15 p.m.
Gov. Daniel McKee urged people to stay home and avoid the roads as the storm continued to rage on in the Ocean State.
The Mount Hope, Newport Pell, and Jamestown Verrazzano bridges were reopened as of 1:30 p.m., according to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority. The bridges had been closed Sunday morning ahead of Tropical Storm Henri’s landfall.
Two people were seen surfing in Newport as the weather conditions began to worsen early Sunday morning. The surf started to pick up, and strong waves will likely be a concern as the tide begins to move in.
Officials are urging residents and others to stay away from the coastline as the storm rages on.
In Westerly, winds rapidly picked up as waves began to crash into the shoreline. Guests at the Sandy Shore Motel stayed inside as they looked out at the ferocious weather conditions.
Flooding was spotted in some of the low-lying areas.
National Grid said they do not plan on assessing the damage until later on, stating it will be a multi-day event to restore power to those who have lost it.
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