Updated: First Selectman: ‘Please Stay Indoors’

Stonington First Selectman Edward Haberek Jr., is appealing to residents to stay indoors.

“We’re trying to get the word out, you need to stay in the house, hunker down,” Haberek said.

He said he was concerned by the numbers of people out walking around taking pictures and also driving.

Stonington Police Captain Jerry Desmond sent out text alerts to residents shortly after noon reminding residents a state of emergency for the town was declared and requesting they stay indoors and off the roads.

"We have many more hours of unsafe conditions out in the streets with many trees and wires falling. We are requesting that residents stay off the road both with vehicles and on foot as it is not safe to be out on the streets. Please help us to keep you safe," the message said.

Haberek reported power lines are down all over the place, and multiple trees are down making it hard for emergency personnel to get around.

“Please stay indoors, it’s very, very dangerous,” Haberek said.

According to Haberek there is a fire on Al Harvey Road and Route 184 that emergency personnel are having a difficult time getting to, part of the Campbell Grain Building in Pawcatuck collapsed, and there are multiple telephone lines down on Arch Street in Pawcatuck.

Lord’s Point and Mason’s Island have been evacuated and are now completely inaccessible due to flooding.

The Stonington side of Montauk Avenue is closed as is Cove Road and Mason's Island Road. On the Groton side of Mystic, Gravel Street is completely underwater, there is flooding on Pearl Street and on the Stonington side of Mystic Cottrell Street is flooded as well as spots of Route 1.

Emergency personnel are going out only for life threatening issues and CL&P has pulled it’s workers off the roads.

As of 11:30 a.m. CL&P is reporting 6,281 customers or 78 percent of Stonington is without power.

The town Emergency Operations Center is available to answer questions 24-hours-a-day to at 860-535-5050