Powerful spring storm lashes Northeast US.*

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. (AP) — Powerful thunderstorms knocked out power, delayed
trains and left neighborhoods in three states littered with tree
branches. Several schools in New York City's northern suburbs were
closed Thursday because of the damage.

In the Westchester County town of New Castle, a state of emergency
remained in effect as major state routes and many secondary roads
remained impassable at dawn, said New Castle Police Sgt. Bruce Cathie.
Public schools in Chappaqua, where former President Clinton has a home,
were among several that either delayed or canceled Thursday classes.

Wednesday's fast-moving storms brought heavy rain and powerful wind to
the Northeast.

"It happened so quickly. It just came out of nowhere," said Robert
Spano, whose car was hit by a falling tree outside his plumbing business
in Bedford Hills.

In Vernon, Conn., police rescued three children from the swollen
Hockanum River. The boys were playing on the banks just after 5 p.m.
Wednesday and were pulled downstream when they stepped into the river to
test the current, police said. Employees of a nearby tire store saw the
children clinging to debris and a pillar in the river and attempted to
rescue them using garden hoses.

Two officers, Sgt. Paul Miffitt and Officer Jim Grady, jumped into the
river and were able to grab the pillar and hold onto the boys until the
fire department arrived with a rope. But before Miffitt could be pulled
from the river, he was struck by a log and sent into the strong current.
Two other officers then jumped into the water and were able to grab
Miffitt. All four were pulled from the water by firefighters.

No one involved was seriously injured.

Wind gusts as high as 70 mph were recorded in Brooklyn, said Tim Morrin
of the National Weather Service. He said weather service meteorologists
would be examining the damage Thursday to determine if any tornadoes had
formed.

In three New York counties just north of New York City, 18,000 customers
remained without power Thursday morning, down from a peak of 62,000,
utilities officials said. Connecticut Light and Power had more than
21,000 customers without power Thursday, down from 60,000. An official
at New Jersey's PSE&G said 500 of its customers were still without power.

Connecticut was bringing in crews from Massachusetts and New Hampshire
to help restore service, utility officials said.