Tornado Watch Issued Rhode Island

Courtesy of Associated Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Rhode Island coastal waters as state emergency officials are monitoring the early effects of Hurricane Irene.

National Grid said Sunday that 40,000 customers of the utility are without power.

The state Department of Transportation suspended all transit service through Sunday and no flights were expected to leave from T.F. Green Airport. About 300 National Guard troops are on standby to help in the hardest-hit areas.

Lt. Col. Denis Riel, a spokesman for the Emergency Management Agency, said scattered power outages have been reported and small tree branches are already down. But he cautioned that the worst of the storm is yet to come as Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee and emergency officials have scheduled a 9 a.m. briefing.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

Related posts:

1. Mass. Readies for Irene; Hurricane Watch in Effect
2. Churches in Mass. Watch Irene Warily
3. Governor Declares State of Emergency for RI
4. New England Wind Wars: Two Companies Make Plans For Wind Farms Off Massachusetts/Rhode Island Coast
5. RI Emergency Planners Prepping for ‘Perfect Storm’

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Posted by jcashman on Aug 28 2011. Filed under Top Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry