Crime & Safety

Updated: Major Flooding Throughout Town

Millburn will ask National Guard for assistance, if a full-scale evacuation of South Mountain area becomes necessary.

updated 4:25 a.m., 7:25 a.m., 10:37 a.m., 4:45 p.m.

With water starting to go over the South Mountain flood walls, Millburn has asked for assistance by the National Guard if a full-scale evacuation of the area becomes necessary.

As of 9:20 a.m., water was flowing over the flood walls built after to protect the South Mountain neighborhood. But the walls aren't in danger of being breached, said Lt. Peter Eakley of Millburn's Office of Emergency Management's and the Milburn Police Department.

Find out what's happening in Millburn-Short Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We are not recommending that anyone evacuate your home at this juncture," Eakley said.  "Please move to your first floor and stay out of your basements. If you have a life-hazard emergency, we will conduct a rescue operation.

"Please stay tight, stay in your homes, and stay tuned for the most current information," he said. "All persons are reminded to not go out on to the streets or drive vehicles through standing water."

Find out what's happening in Millburn-Short Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Residents received an automated call this morning alerting them to . New Jersey American Water issued the advisory for customers in Millburn, Short Hills, West Orange, Maplewood, Irvington, Springfield, Summit.

Sections of the following roads are closed because of flooding from the Rahway Rive:  Millburn Avenue, Essex Street, Main Street, Locust Street and Ridgewood Road. Other roads closed from flooding include JFK Parkway, Rte 124, sections of White Oak Ridge Road, Rte 24 East Bound (one lane closed), Passaic Avenue, and Parsonage Hill Road.

Andrew Morgan, of the Millburn Deli, told Patch below in the comments
section that he got a call from the Millburn Police Department.

"Downtown Millburn is now completely flooded. Many businesses are
extremely damaged," he said in his post.

All night and into the morning, the township of Millburn battled Hurricane Irene. The township continued to experience "major flooding," downtown and elsewhere, causing the closure of several streets and the evacuation of the care center, according to emergency services officials.

Overnight, trees fell on homes and across roads, streets flooded withrushing water, septic tanks overflowed and one motorist had to be rescued in running water, Eakley said.

Only two families had used the care and reception center tonight as of 4:30 a.m. and one of those was a family whose home on Chestnut Street was damaged when a tree fell on it, sending the family of five to the Millburn care and reception center for shelter, said Barbara Alllora, executive director of the American Red Cross.

"This happened to us during Hurricane Floyd as well," Allora said. "We were at the High School and had to be evacuated because of flooding. It's bad out there."

The care and reception center at Millburn High School changed locations to the American Red Cross at 389 Millburn Ave. because of the flooding in the high school parking lot.

On Sunday, Mayor Sandy Haimoff toured the township with the fire chief and business adminstrator.

they ""went through the town to see exactly what the situation was. We were wonderfully prepared," she said. "There's nothing you can do until it hits.

"We're waiting for the electric companies to come in first because they have to come in first before anyone touches the trees," she said. "We're working as quickly as we can. We have had all our manpower on duty throughout the night....The fortunate thing from what I've been told, is we have no injuries. That's the most important thing, the safety of our residents."

Brian Falzarano contributed to this report.

This is a breaking news story and we will post more information as we get it. Check back soon.


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