First, the tremors of a 5.8 magnitude earthquake and then Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc across the tri-state area.

Although Irene entered Westchester County as a tropical storm on Sunday morning, the once-Category 3 storm left behind significant damage.  As of Sunday, more than 26,000 people were left in the dark as Con Edison brought in crews from as far as Texas to assist in restoring power. 

Yonkers was one of the hardest hit areas in Westchester as many cars were stuck in flooded streets. Nepperhan Avenue was closed at various parts as water measured over two feet.

The Hutchison River Parkway, Bronx River Parkway and Saw Mill River Parkway closed Saturday night in anticipation of Irene. Iona College escaped any severe damage; classes resumed and were only delayed on Monday.

Meteorologists predicted that Irene would barrel into New York City as a Category 1 storm. By the early morning hours on Sunday, however, Hurricane Irene had weakened to Tropical Storm Irene. The dwindling storm didn’t seem to weaken enough to prevent damage, as many homes and streets in coastal New Jersey and Long Island were flooded, with storm surges reaching as a high as eight feet.

In Mamaroneck, a mandatory evacuation was ordered on Saturday, and by Sunday morning, Center Avenue was completely under water. Most streets remained flooded on Sunday, but some businesses had normal operating hours, hoping that loyal customers would bring them some business.

Fire crews in Elmsford rescued a woman and several of her dogs after flooding trapped her inside her home. The woman said that the inside of her house looked like a river.

In some areas, floodwaters reached as high as mailboxes. Many people ventured out on Sunday, assessing the damage themselves, while others used sub-pumps to try and prevent damage to furniture and other household items in their basements.

Coastal areas were hit hardest, as expected, while inland areas saw minor damage. In Rockland County’s Spring Valley, a man was attempting to rescue his son when a downed electrical wire fatally shocked him. Both were taken to Westchester Medical Center, where the boy was immediately taken to the burn unit. Another home in Rye Brook saw over five inches of water, destroying appliances and furniture. The homeowner said over 100 buckets were filled with water, as the basement floor was completely saturated.

The American Red Cross has been helping people throughout Westchester County and those that still need help are being urged to call. Overall, the storm damage was widespread across the tri-state area from Southern New Jersey to Connecticut.

After this weekend’s storm, some are questioning whether more hurricanes are in our future. The hurricane season does not officially end until November.