Some Streets Flooded In Connecticut By Tropical Storm Irene

WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau In Westport

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Fairfield First Selectman Mike Tetreau says water is flowing up streets in the town's beach area and making them impassable.

SEE: Irene's Wrath | Listener/Viewer Photos

Some streets were also flooded in Bridgeport, the state's largest city, where water from Long Island Sound had breached a sea wall.

The storm has toppled trees across the state and knocked out power to close to half a million customers. One person was killed overnight in Prospect in a fire sparked by downed wires.

In Westport, the big problem is flooding. The Saugatuck River overflowed its banks.

Driving along the Post Road, the water right at the crossroads of town rose to a level that stopped traffic coming and going.

Police and fire trucks are here, with the Post Road closed to traffic

It's there that first selectman Gordon Joseloff was making an urgent cell phone call to Connecticut Light & Power.

"You have the authorization to cut power to Main Street," he told the utility.

Joseloff says the order could delay power restoration to the town, but he said he had to do it in the interest of safety.

WCBS 880's Paul Murnane In Fairfield

The beach took a beating in Fairfield. The worst of it was along Fairfield Beach Road.

"So, we geared up a payloader with police divers and they're going down there now to see if they can get close enough to assess whether or not there's individuals that need our help," said police chief Gary MacNamara.

Just down the shore, there's a substantial seawall. One resident says she rode out the storm with no regrets.

"A gentleman down the street lived many many many years. If Jack was going to stay, it would be okay to stay," the woman said to WCBS 880's Paul Murnane.

"So, you and Jack stayed?" asked Murnane.

"It seems like many people did, but everyone was cautious," she said.

Hours after the storm surge and high tide, blocks from the beach, in one neighborhood, the water was still hip-deep at mid-afternoon on Sunday.

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