The following is a NY1 report:

In the summer months, camps and bungalow communities in upstate communities like Monticello in Sullivan County are home to many orthodox and Hasidic Jewish families.

While some fared well during Sunday’s storm, others were not as lucky, including those staying at the Har Nof bungalows.

“It was 5 o’clock in the morning when we lost power. A tree fell on one of the bungalows here, and since then, Sunday morning, we have no electricity here,” said one vacationer.

As a result, some 300 families are headed back to Brooklyn early, instead of staying through Labor Day.

“Yes, usually this week it’s the last week. I am busy, but all the people left here. Basically I lost all my whole week of business here. I had to take out all the refrigerated stuff,” said Nachman Friedman of Borough Park, Brooklyn, who owns the grocery here.

Friedman was using his car battery for some electricity, but most of his market had gone dark and the food has spoiled.

“I had the store four years. We have had blackouts for two hours, three hours, not for three days,” Friedman said. “Maybe next year I’ll put in generators.”

Many New Yorkers have second homes in the region, and they were forced to leave them due to downed trees and lost of power.

“Sullivan County has a year-round population of 78,000, and during the summer months we increase that population by about 20,000 to 25,000 people,” said Sullivan County Safety Public Commissioner Richard Martinkovic.

About 14,000 people in Sullivan County were still without power on Tuesday. Many were picking up dry ice at the local firehouse to prevent food from going bad.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever had to use dry ice. We are hoping to keep some of the food that we just bought fresh,” said one dry ice recipient.

The Catskills region may no longer be the destination of choice as in its heyday in the mid-20th century, but many New Yorkers still come up there to escape the city heat. Sadly, this summer Irene came visiting as well.

(Source: NY1)