Frank and Mike Rocco, and Benny Cacha are ready for business at Planet Pizza despite Sandy’s threat winds and rain. (Kristen Riolo photos)
The foreboding feeling in town can only be further emphasized by the taped-up windows downtown as Darien officials, first responders, residents and businesses wait for the “worst part” of the storm expected this afternoon.
Businesses have closed downtown and have taped up windows in preparation for high wind gusts that could be up to 80 miles per hour.
The town’s fire departments went door to door Monday morning urging remaining coastal residents who didn’t evacuate to do so before rising tides at noon. Despite those precautions, emergency responders made some boat rescues from those stuck in the flooding waters Monday.
First Selectman Jayme Stevenson again urged residents who plan to evacuate to do so immediately before the storm gets worst. Darien High School is open as a shelter and there are two regional shelters at Stamford High School and Brian McMahon High School in Norwalk. Darien is still looking for shelter volunteers – contact Jayme Stevenson at jstevenson@darienct.gov.
• Sign up for Darien’s Code Red alert system
• Gov. Malloy: The worst is just beginning
• Stevenson: Time to evacuate is now
• Who has what? Rundown of your grocery stores.
• Closures and cancellations
Many roads are already flooded. Ring’s End road is now barricaded off. The worst of the storm has estimated wind gusts up to 80 miles per hour. Stevenson told The Darien Times that at high wind points, emergency responders and utility companies cannot be out on the road making repairs safely.
Ring’s End Road as it began to flood. The road is now barricaded on both sides of the bridge.
Gov. Dan Malloy closed highways after 1 p.m. and later emphasized that the point behind the closure was to keep people home and off the road. It was also to keep roads clear of large tractor trailers that pose a danger to themselves and others.
Malloy made it clear that “if you’re not being evacuated, stay home.”
Stevenson said the next two high tide cycles will continue to bring unprecedented high levels of water to Darien’s shoreline.
Town officials also ask that you only call 911 for emergencies.
Send your Sandy stories and photos to editor@darientimes.com.
