BOSTON -- Tropical storm Hanna charged through the Bay State overnight, causing some flooding damage and power outages, but overall most coastal communities felt they dodged a big bullet.

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High winds brought down power lines, causing 24,000 power outages, with 14,000 in Rhode Island alone, and 10,000 outages in southeastern Massachusetts.

Rainfall totals were impressive, with Merrimack and Nashua, N.H. picking up 6.56 inches of rain, and Duxbury, Mass., 6.43 inches. Further west, Fitchburg and Shrewsbury received 3.56 inches, while Wareham got only 2.27 inches.

The high winds and heavy rains did cause problems in many areas. In Milford, a huge chunk of Stonybrook Road was demolished when rain gushed down a nearby hill about 10 p.m. Saturday.

The water overwhelmed the drainage system, with water flooding out the foundation of the road and causing the blacktop to buckle. No one was hurt and no cars were damaged, but town officials said it will be at least a week before they can repair the road.

At Speen Street and Avon Lane in Natick, Mass., a huge tree crashed down during the height of the storm. NStar cut power to the entire neighborhood while they worked to remove the tree and repair downed lines.

At least 10 drivers had to be rescued from cars stalled under a flooded overpass at Routes 9 and 127.

"We pushed out like, 10 cars at least," said Jackie Dwyer, who helped motorists esape from waist-high water.

"They were all flooded, completely dead, and people didn't know what to do and we just got their keys, put them in neutral and pushed them out," Dwyer said.

One young man was on his way home from work. Minutes from home, he thought he could make it across the flooded roadway.

"A bunch of people in front of me, they kept going and I was like, whatever, I can probably make it through. There was a guy in the next lane who was stuck and I went to go for it and the water was up and through the doors," he said.

Further south, in Mattapoisett, after residents and boat owners scrambled to protect boats and property, Hanna only brushed through with no significant impact on the area, which was devastated by Hurricane Bob in 1991.

Many boat owners nervously paced the docks, bracing for the blast that never really came.

"This is nothing. People are going to be happy. It's nothing, let's put it that way. I'm shocked, actually," assistant harbormaster Milt Heuberger said.

Most boat owners were relieved.

"You know what? I'm happy. I'm glad that (my boat is) still out there and it's OK. I'm glad that it's not dragging its mooring or free of its mooring and on the beach someplace," boat owner Don Bamberger said.

Strong winds did pry some boats loose from their moorings, with one 30-foot sailboat crashing against other vessels in New Bedford Harbor before it smashed into the Fairhaven-New Bedford bridge. No one was injured.

"By that time, it had already had come 200 or 300 yards, within seconds, right into the bridge. We're going to have to see what damage it did because I understand it may have hit three or four vessels that were also moored out there," New Bedford Marine Unit officer David Roy said.

By 7 a.m., Hanna was well to the northeast of the region and losing its tropical characteristics.

Meanwhile, high pressure was beginning to build in from the west bringing clearing skies. With high pressure taking control of the regions weather, Sunday will sunny skies by early afternoon. Highs will range from the mid 70s to mid 80s.