After Sandy: State of the Villages [VIDEO]

As of Tuesday evening thousands in the Rivertowns are still without power, and the State of Emergency declared by Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington and Dobbs Ferry remains in effect.

Con Edison’s power outage tally as of 5:55 p.m. Tuesday, is:

• Ardsley – 1,597
• Dobbs Ferry – 2,161
• Hastings-on-Hudson – 2,003
• Irvington - 1,536 

The restoration time is currently unknown though local officals have been quoted as saying it could take days or even a whole week before power is restored. 

In addition to homewoners without power, many local businesses throughout the Rivertowns were without power and closed Tuesday—while Con Edision, local fire, police and public works departments work around the clock to ensure safety and clear away fallen trees, limbs, power lines and other debris. Peter Joslin, an employee of Eileen Fisher Lab at 1 Bridge St. in Irvington., said businesses at 1 and 2 Bridge St. sustained several feet of water damage as level rose inside and outside of their store.

Click here for our photo gallery of the story damage and on our video to see what residents had to say about the storm.

Many local roads are shut down. Check our storm hub story for updates on road closures and cancellations here. 

Several homes and local businesses also sustained damage in the storm from flooding or fallen trees. Hastings-on-Hudson Mayor Peter Swiderski reported that some residents had to be evacuated from their damaged homes.

Thankfully, there were no reported injuries.

Though many residents were out walking village streets Tuesday to view the aftermath of storm, Village officials are still asking residents to stay indoors unless there is an emergency.

If you have to leave, be wary of fallen wires on the ground or hiding under fallen leave/trees as they may still be live. Many of the wires are still live and will remain that way until Con Edison has attended to them, so make sure your pets and your children are safe when they are outside.

Also, be sure not to cross yellow police lines and barricades, and drive slow with extreme caution as many traffic signals are out of order.

Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson and Irvington school will all be closed Wednesday. Irvington’s Dows Lane School and the middle/high school campuses are without power. School officials are asking residents to let their neighbors know that school is canceled, since many are without phone and Internet access.

“Most of us are out of power but thankfully no one was seriously hurt, or worse,” said Dobbs Ferry Mayor Hartley Connett, in an e-mail blast to the village. “Some of our residents have been hit hard with severe property damage, which puts everything into perspective.  If you are only out of power please be patient – this part of the aftermath will pass.”

Be sure to visit your Village’s website to sign up for e-mail notifications on the storm and other Village news.

Here are some post-storm home restoration tips from ServiceMaster Clean, disaster relief experts:

• Check to see if your home is safe: When returning home, make sure the home is structurally safe before going inside. Debris may be hazardous, and the potential for collapse may exist.

• Be careful with power: Have a professional check the property for leaks to ensure it is safe before turning on electricity or lighting any matches.

• Store important items: Keep identification, insurance policies, financial information, wills, checkbook, keys and cash in a waterproof container.

• Report property damage: Immediately report property damage to an insurance agent.

• Document the damage: Videotape or take photos of the damaged areas and prepare a detailed inventory of all damaged or destroyed personal property. Be sure to keep a copy of everything.

• Make repairs: Make whatever repairs are possible to protect from a home from further damage. Save all receipts to be reimbursed by the insurance company.

• Watch out for scam artists: Hire properly-licensed workers for repairs.

• Negotiate with creditors: If a home is unlivable, inform local utilities so the resident will not be billed. Work out a payment plan with credit card companies and creditors to fund repairs.

• Assist the claims adjuster: Be prepared to respond as timely as possible to the assigned adjuster to speed along the claims process.

• Look for tax breaks: Enlist a trusted tax expert to help identify applicable breaks.