By Wednesday morning, most people in Nantucket – which went completely dark during the blizzard – had their power back on, according to the police chief.

“We got about 60 to 70 percent of the power restored, and they’re still working on it,” said Chief William Pittman, who said he expected to have nearly complete restoration by the end of the day. “Some houses where the connection was lost at the house — we have to search all those out — many are unoccupied. It’s possible that maybe 5 percent of the houses will be a few days away.”

The police department scrambled Tuesday to check on residents and transport people to shelters and hospitals on the island, a summer haven for the wealthy with a small population of year-round residents. The overnight hours were quiet, said Pittman.

Police have begun getting calls from people who live in remote areas with small, unplowed roads, who are running out of fuel for their generators.

Flooding damage was minimal from the storm, Pittman said, though a handful of homes had water rise above the foundation and into their living areas.

The island is working with the Coast Guard to do a flyover damage assessment to check for people in remote areas who might need help.

Pittman said he had lived on the island for 10 years, and it was worst storm he has seen, though others on the island have told him that summer storms have brought worse damage because they smash boats, sending debris flying through the air.

--Evan Allen