Days After Isabel, Many Residents Lack Power

Utility crews restored power to more than two-thirds of the people who had been without it since Hurricane Isabel struck, but isolated price gouging and a lack of information were starting to wear down residents in the hardest-hit areas.

The storm severed electrical service for more than 6 million customers from the Carolinas to New York. That figure was whittled to about 1.8 million.

Newport News, Va., resident Shawn Williams went to the office to get water for his three young daughters. “Two days, we thought it was fun. We camped out,” Williams said. “Four days is long enough.”