In Scituate, Governor Deval Patrick thanks workers for efforts and residents for patience

By Lauren Dezenski, Globe Correspondent

After touring storm-ravaged Scituate, Governor Deval Patrick today thanked the wide array of people who helped the state battle through the storm as he vowed to push the recovery efforts across the state.

Patrick also expressed his appreciation to residents of hard hit communities, like Scituate, for their patience as utility workers struggle to restore power, removed downed power lines and trees.

More than 100,000 customers this morning remain without power throughout Massachusetts due to the powerful winter storm that started last Friday and brought high winds, cold temperatures, and heavy snowfall to most of the state.

Patrick said the current outage numbers are down from a peak of 400,000 without power at the storm’s height.

“I think that if you compare that to the October storm, when there were 800,000 outages over a lot longer period of time, I think, on a whole, progress is pretty good,” Patrick said at a press briefing in Scituate that was broadcast on the Internet.

Patrick said Scituate town leaders have not let him forget the storm’s damage to sea walls protecting the town, and that they have shown him how easily waves brought debris over the walls and into seaside homes.

Patrick said 130 people in Scituate have sought shelter.

“The amount of debris over the sea walls is an extraordinary thing to see,” he said.

With much more work needed to bring the state back to a semblance of normalcy, Patrick said crews will continue to work.

“The proof and judgment will come in the days after the storm,” Patrick said.