It was a close call for several families in the area as Sandy continues to move through the region.
Winds that reached as high as 79 miles per hour are taking down trees in Bensalem. One tree was ripped from its base and smashed into two homes on Rutgers Court.
“We were just sitting inside watching TV,” said Jeremy Miller. “We heard a loud crack. All of a sudden we could hear the tree hit the roof here. It was a pretty loud noise so I came out and took a look at it to see what was going on. I have two little girls. I just went out and checked on the tree.”
The home of Jeremy’s neighbor got the brunt of the damage. The woman who lived there told NBC10 her husband was inside the bedroom where branches went through the windows. The couple have since left the area and are staying with a friend.
There were mandatory evacuations in Bensalem earlier today. Bensalem Police went around alerting homeowners near Neshaminy Creek and the Delaware River, which officials say are flood areas. The evacuees are currently staying at shelters in the town.
40,000 customers are currently without power in Bucks County, according to PECO.
Brandywine Creek in Chester County is another area getting hit hard by heavy winds. One tree fell to the ground, taking power lines with it and knocking out power in West Chester around 4 p.m. NBC10 spoke with one resident who lost power.
"We were just sitting around, we just got in from taking care of the horses," said the man. "We thought we'd settle in and I thought I would have at least four or five hours before the main storm hit because it was just getting into Atlantic City. Two seconds later we heard a crack, and my neighbor's tree, a 75-footer, just came down and knocked the power out."
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Fortunately the man owns a generator.
"You absolutely need it in these kind of conditions," said the man. "It's the only way you can really survive in this. Especially because everything's around water and pumps. You need all of that just to sustain yourself in that independent way. It comes in handy."
