Being inland, we didn't get hit with the rain or water as much (despite being next to the D&R and Raritan)... but the wind ripped *EVERYTHING* apart. There were constant flashes of lights as transformers exploded from falling power poles, large trees ripped up from the roots, lots of houses which suddenly had large holes in the roof or siding, any loose stuff lying around was suddenly hundreds of yards away, etc.

Hillsborough looked like one of those disaster films, with wires and poles and housing materials and other debris spread all over the place.

I remember the biggest initial challenge to restoring power wasn't replacing the poles and wires, but just getting stuff cleared out enough to even get to the places.