VIDEO: East Haven Weathers Hurricane Sandy's Wrath [PHOTOS]

Although many homes along along East Haven's shoreline were damaged, it became clear as the day went on Tuesday that the devastation Hurricane Sandy delivered to the town was not at the same historic levels experienced during Tropical Storm Irene.

"It was definitely less than last year," Assistant Fire Chief Chuck Licata told East Haven Patch at the town's Emergency Operations Center at East Haven Fire Department headquarters.

Licata said while the flooding with Sandy was worse than Irene, the storm surge was not as punishing as Irene.

"We had deeper flooding but wave action during this storm," he said, adding that thankfully the Farm River never reached flood stage either.

No Storm-Related Injuries

There were no reported storm-related injuries in East Haven.

At the emergency operations center Tuesday, town officials expressed their thanks at the cooperation they received from residents regarding mandatory evacuations and staying home during the high point of the storm Monday.

Licata noted that all of East Haven's emergency service members — police, fire, 911, public works, as well as the National Guard which is assisting along the shoreline — worked well together before, during and now after the storm.

"People in the town did a great job," Licata said.

Two Total Losses

After town officials were able to fully review the damage to shoreline properties in the light of day Tuesday, only two homes were found to be a total loss from the two-day storm.

And one of those homes — which was completely washed into the ocean and no longer on the beach following Hurricane Sandy — had been uninhabitable since Irene.

Additionally, there were three to four homes with "significant damage," Licata said.

"But they are able to be repaired," he said, noting that if a structure appears to have less than 50 percent of it damaged, it is not listed as repairable.

And then there were about a dozen homes along the shoreline that sustained moderate damage, as well a number of homes that had some minor flooding.

Areas particularly hard hit were Morgan Point and sections of homes on Cosey Beach Avenue.

Disaster Declaration

Gov. Dannel Malloy announced Tuesday evening that federal government has issued a disaster declaration for Connecticut’s four shoreline counties — including New Haven — in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, a designation that will bring federal aid flowing to those areas for restoration efforts.

Malloy — along with other state, federal and local officials — took a tour of the damage along East Haven's shoreline Tuesday afternoon. The governor also visited several other Connecticut towns that were damaged by the storm yesterday, as well.

With clean up beginning along the shoreline, residents all over East Haven continue to deal with the lack of power and/or cable and internet.

As of 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, United Illuminating is reporting that there are 7,039 customers in East Haven without power, or some 54 percent of the town. That number had been as high as 80 percent late Tuesday afternoon.

No School Wednesday

Many streets also still have downed wires and tree limbs, as well as other debris, that remain following the hurricane.

Because of this, as the clean up continues around town, East Haven Public Schools are once again closed on Wednesday.

Halloween Postponed

East Haven also joined other area towns — North Haven, West Haven and New Haven — in postponing this year's annual Halloween trick-or-treating.

Mayor Joe Maturo Jr told East Haven Patch the delay in the annual celebration was necessary to ensure local roads were safe for foot travel and free of downed wires and limbs in their announcements about the delay.

Trash Pickup Returns Wednesday

The Mayor's Office reported Tuesday, however, that residential trash collection will resume on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the town will pick up refuse from the residents who were scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.

And then the rest of the week's schedule will be on a one-day delay.

East Haven Patch will continue to provide updates as the recovery process continues from Hurricane Sandy, both here on the site as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages.