Governor Charlie Baker has declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts as a near-record storm surge, combined with an astronomically high tide and strong winds, led to flooding and power outages across the commonwealth’s coastal communities, including several especially hard hit on the North Shore.
The declaration did not include a travel ban but noted that several local communities have restricted travel in the hardest hit areas.
The declaration gives Baker more options to seek assistance from federal authorities and other states as Massachusetts residents deal with the aftermath of the storm.
As of noon Saturday, more than 360,000 electric customers in Massachusetts were without power, with the worst outages reported on the South Shore and in Bristol County.
