NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. -- Water from the Hurricane Sandy inflicted what may be heavy damage to the newly-built dock at Old Harbor Drive Monday, threatening what was a multimillion-dollar project, Block Island's police chief is reporting.
Chief Vin Carlone said he was on Spring Street watching the storm when a big wave washed over him, temporarily making his cell phone inoperable. He said the waves washing over the roadway, an usual event, became worrisome early in the evening when it seemed the road, which rises some 60 to 80 feet above the ocean, would collapse. Fortunately, he said, it didn't.
But the waters, as expected, did flood a portion of Corn Neck Road, effectively cutting off 50 to 60 people from the rest of the island. As a precaution the town assigned two fire rescue personnel and a police officer to stay with the residents in the event they needed help.
The chief said they were not expecting the water that invaded the town's main intersection at Bridgegate Square, causing damage to some nearby businesses.
He said damage to the dock at Old Harbor Drive was especially alarming, since it appeared the the dock, which had only been recently completed, was lifted off its pilings.
"We don't know the full extent of the damage until the morning," he said. "All in all, we got hit pretty hard."