Gusty Winds Blows Down Tens of Sukkahs

BROOKLYN, NY [CHI] — Unusually strong gusty winds toppled tens of Sukkahs in Crown Heights and around Brooklyn today, Wednesday. Wind speeds reached as strong as 53mph according to the National Weather Service, causing lots of damage.

Some Sukkahs only lost their S’Chach while others were completely demolished. Garbage and garbage cans were also seen strewn about the roads and sidewalks of Crown Heights.

All around Brooklyn the strong winds caused damage, it knocked trees over onto power lines, cars and houses, caused power failures, and tangled up traffic, in a broad swath of neighborhoods in Brooklyn

Parts of Brooklyn experienced sporadic power outages, affecting some 3,470 Con Edison customers, because of the high winds.

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said that field workers have confirmed that at least 11 trees had fallen on houses. One woman received a minor injury to her head and was taken to the hospital when she was struck by a branch while in the Bronx, he said.

The National Weather Service, which issued a wind advisory for the New York area just before noon on Wednesday, said the gusts were caused by a low-pressure air mass that passed north of New York City, with a cold front trailing it it.

Frank Dwyer, a Fire Department spokesman, said the authorities had received reports of at least a dozen cases in which trees had toppled onto power lines or other parts of the public infrastructure.

The city’s 311 line has received more than 700 calls reporting fallen trees or limbs, the vast majority in Queens and Brooklyn, said Mr. Benepe. He added that the city wouldn’t be able to have an accurate assessment of the damage until tomorrow, though he estimated the number of damaged trees could be in the hundreds.

The New York Times contributed to this report.