This morning, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake updated residents on the impact of Hurricane Irene on Baltimore, and the city’s plans to recover. While the eye of the storm has passed Maryland, rain and wind continue to create dangers for those venturing outside this morning. Overnight, over 66,000 BG&E customers lost power in Baltimore City. Crews from BG&E are working to restore power to all customers.

“I am grateful for the efforts of city workers to prepare Baltimore for the storm, and for keeping residents safe at the height of the Hurricane over night,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “We know citizens are eager to get out and assess the impact of Hurricane Irene, but we strongly encourage citizens to be extremely cautious as they begin to venture outside. There are downed wires, downed trees, hanging limbs and other dangers throughout the city, and lingering high winds will continue pose a threat to safety all day long.”

Mayor Rawlings-Blake added that parking restrictions for Fells Point will be lifted at 8:00 a.m. today. Vehicles that were towed by the city can be picked up by their owners at the Edison lot located at Fallsway and High Street.

As the high winds subside, crews from various city agencies will be working full force in the early morning hours to ensure that major thoroughfares are clear and passable. The Mayor asked residents to call 311 or visit 311 online to report any downed limbs and downed trees.

The Mayor announced that she will soon be issuing instructions to citizens and businesses who have utilized sandbags to protect their properties about returning used sandbags to the city. In the meantime, Mayor Rawlings-Blake asked that sand is not poured onto sidewalks, streets or yards, as sand can clog storm drain pipes leading to flooding during future storm events. Detailed instructions will be announced today.