Multiple Crews Were Seen on Route 88, Falmoauth, Working on Lines to Restore Power to the Area Early This Afternoon. Power Outages were Widespread in the Area, Probably Due to Fallen Trees in the Area.

Governor Janet T. Mills (D), announced this afternoon that she has declared a State of Civil Emergency for 14 Maine counties following a significant wind and rain strom that has left hundreds of thousands of people without power and that has caused significant flooding and infrastructure damage, including to the state’s federal-aid highways.

The Proclamation of a State of Civil Emergency – declared for Androscogin, Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Picataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo and washington Counties – mobilizes all State of Maine resources to assist and support response and recovery efforts and positions the State to seek Federal disaster support in the coming weeks.  The 14 counties were selected to target assistance to the areas hardest hit, though the state stands ready to assist all counties in need

“My Administation has been in close and constant communication with local and Federal officials throughout the storm and I have been briefed by the Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency as well as the Commissioners of the Departmet of Transportation, the Departmet of Public Safety, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services and others on our coordinated response efforts,” said Governor Mills.

Governor Mills has also spoken with the President and CEO of Central Maine Power, Joe Purington, and the President of Versant Power, John Flynn, to receive updates about their power and restoration efforts and to offer State support where needed.  The Maine Department of Transportation is also working to clear roadways of debris, assess damage and begin repair efforts while Maine Emergency Management Agency continues to coordinate resource requests with county emergency management officials.

“My Administration will seek any and all Federal financial assistance and support to help Maine people recover from the storm,” Governor Mills said.