LAKEHURST – Borough officials moved the egg hunt from April Fool’s Day to Palm Sunday due to serious storm warnings, and it was a good thing, too, since tornadoes touched down throughout the state.
Instead of responding to any lightning strikes in the area, the Lakehurst Fire Department transported the Easter Bunny to Horicon Lake for the occasion. Snacks and drinks were provided to parents and children after the egg hunt.
The event was well attended by loads of children and their parents, and an energetic Easter Bunny providing hugs to kids which made for a special holiday event. It was coordinated by the Borough’s Youth and Recreation committee.
“We had special prizes that a few children won” Michele DiMeo told The Manchester Times. “Hanger 21 donated two $10 gift certificates and we gave out two baskets, money and two $5 gift certificates to Mrs. Walker’s Ice Cream.”
The sunny skies were a drastic improvement from the day before, when ominous clouds darkened the horizon before winds, rain, and in some places even hail blew through the county.
The National Weather Service said tornadoes touched down in Jackson, Howell, Sea Girt and Cinnaminson. A tornado also touched down in Bridgeville, Delaware which destroyed several homes, even causing a fatality.
Local officials declared a disaster emergency on Sunday as residents began evaluating the damage and clearing debris. Schools were closed in Jackson and Howell townships on April 3 as cleanup efforts continued from the severe storm.
JCP&L reported that around 21,000 customers were without power. Of this, 5,940 outages were reported in Monmouth County and 14,233 were reported in Ocean County.
A large tree crashed down on a Howell residence. Fortunately, no one was injured.
A twin-engine jet lost control and ran off the runway while landing at Monmouth Executive Airport during severe weather warnings on April 1, according to police.
Authorities said there were two people inside the Citation jet, the pilot and copilot. Both got out of the plane uninjured. However, the plane sustained significant damage.
Wall Fire District 2 with assistance from Monmouth County Hazmat were able to isolate the fuel from the aircraft. The next morning, emergency crews returned to remove the plane as well as debris. Spilled fuel was mitigated, police said.
–Alyssa Riccardi contributed to this story
