Central Texas Sends Help to East Coast

October 29, 2012 4:49 pm by: Laura Rice

A satellite image shows Hurricane Sandy approaching the East Coast. Photo courtesy the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the East Coast, but the effects are being felt as far away as Central Texas.

So far, Hurricane Sandy has canceled at least 23 flights to and from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Flights in and out of cities such as New York, Newark, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. have been affected.

If you have a connecting flight to the East Coast from Dallas or Houston, you’ll want to check ahead for delays and cancellations.

Meanwhile, Austin Energy is sending 38 people to help with problems created by the storm. Austin Energy spokesman Carlos Cordova says they’ll focus on clearing fallen trees.

“There’s going to be so many trees and limbs that fall down into the power lines, that knock power lines down themselves, and equipment that the trees have to get out of the way first, and the limbs have to be all moved out of the way of the wires before the power lines can be fixed,” Cordova said.

Cordova says Austinites will not foot the bill.

The Texas chapters of the American Red Cross are also responding. Some volunteers are already on the way, and more are standing by.

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