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Nor'easter Causes More NJ Outages; Storm-Ravaged Jersey Shore & Bergen County Worried

BELMAR, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The nor'easter that pounded the Tri-State Area on Wednesday was being blamed for scattered power outages in the Garden State.

Glenn Schuck of 1010 WINS reported that new outages were being seen in places such as Hackensack, East Rutherford and Woodbridge.

STORM PHOTOS: Don't Forget To Send Us Your Nor'Easter Pictures

A transformer also exploded in Ho Ho Kus, N.J. That transformer also services areas in the nearby communities of Ridgewood and Waldwick. PSE&G told 1010 WINS' Schuck that they were dealing with the issues.

1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck reports

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In Ho Ho Kus, "Mary Ellen" lost her power on Blauvelt Avenue for nine days, finally getting it back Tuesday morning. She couldn't believe when she returned home Wednesday and put the key in the front door of her home and realized the power was out again.

"It's absurd," she said. "I have health issues, so I'm like, just so aggravated."

Mary Ellen's neighbor, "Vicki," was home around 1 p.m. Wednesday. She said she heard a very unfamiliar, and upsetting sound.

"I heard a pop right before the lights went out, and I had heard a couple pops last week right before we lost it the first time," she said.

Meanwhile, up and down the Jersey Shore, storm-weary communities were keeping their eyes on the nor'easter.

Sandy battered Belmar, including its boardwalk. The new storm had residents on edge, threatening their homes again.

Standing in lifeguard HQ and the first aid area for the beach, Belmar Police Department Capt. Andrew Huisman said the area was "completely demolished."

Enter Wednesday's snowy mess.

"I think we're all unnerved from Sandy - we don't know what to do. We were so exhausted. We want to stay. We don't want to leave," Lisa Miller told CBS 2's Christine Sloan.

An emergency vehicle took Miller back to her home. The borough had just pumped water out of her first floor. It sits just blocks away from the unforgiving ocean.

"We're going to ride this storm out, we feel like we're safe. We feel like the town keeps in good communication with their residents and we're going to ride it out," Miller said.

"Mayor Dougherty has given us clear directions -- do what we have to do to get this done, do the paperwork later," said Belmar Administrator Bill Young.

And that includes building a berm along the coast of Belmar to protect the town from the storm surge and setting up an emergency center where residents can get baby formula, supplies, and clothing.

An 83-year-old Belmar resident who spoke with CBS 2's Sloan said she needs the help.

"My furnace is flooded - my hot water heater is flooded. My washer, my dryer -- absolutely no good," said Pat Mottershead. "It's like a war town, like a bombed-out town."

"We'll survive because there's such good people in Belmar," Bea Strock added.

Also, in Bergen County, residents in Ridgewood were getting hit again after being battered by Sandy.

Isolated by closed roads and downed power lines that were still smoking and police tape, residents were frustrated by the lack of response by PSE&G.

"What's going on?  I thought we'd be a high priority because we had a tree on the house.  Three trees fell over and there's nothing going on," one resident told CBS 2's Chris Wragge.

"I was upstairs when the tree hit the house and it was almost as if the house was in a car crash," another resident said.

Much of Ridgewood was a powerless, fractured mess -- gas lines were broken, wires were strewn over yards and firewood could be seen everywhere.

"Nobody has any answers. It's like the left hand has no idea what the right is doing," another resident said.

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