More than 3,500 Mainers still without power, Washington County hit hardest
Posted July 07, 2014, at 10:47 a.m.
Last modified July 07, 2014, at 11:11 a.m.
Last modified July 07, 2014, at 11:11 a.m.
The weekend storm tossed a tree against Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lubec, which was still experiencing widespread power outages on Monday.
High winds from the weekend storm bent this flag pole in a cemetery in Lubec.
MACHIAS, Maine — An estimated 3,560 customers were still without power because of the weekend storm, with the vast majority of them in Washington County, Emera Maine reported early Monday morning.
As of 5 a.m., 2,766 customers in Washington County were without power, 794 in Hancock and 70 in Aroostook.
Most of the outages were clustered along the coast of Washington and Hancock counties, from Harborside near Penobscot Bay to easternmost Lubec, and also around the cities of Presque Isle and Caribou in Aroostook County.
Although many portions of Lubec were still without power, Town Administrator John Sutherland said the town’s public works employees worked through the weekend and that all roads were passable.
However, trees have knocked down power lines adjacent to some roads, and motorists should use caution in those areas, he said Monday.
A tree fell onto at least one house and a church building, said Sutherland, but he was unsure how badly they were damaged. “All you saw was tree,” he said Monday.
“Considering the severity of the storm, we were lucky,” added Sutherland.
Eight communities in coastal Washington each had an estimated 100-500 customers without power, Emera Maine reported on its website, and other communities in the region reported lesser outages.
The company expected power to be restored to all customers in Washington County by the end of the day Tuesday and, in Hancock, by midday Tuesday. Power was expected to be restored in Aroostook by midday Monday.
Utility crews worked through the overnight to restore power, according to Emera Maine, which was being assisted by 60 workers from southern Maine, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
High winds, the remnants of Hurricane Arthur, battered eastern Maine on Saturday, and the region also received heavy rain. Strong winds broke limbs and toppled trees, pulling down power lines and breaking utility poles. In some cases the downed trees blocked roads and access to areas where utility crews were trying to go to restore power.
At the height of the storm, more than 20,000 customers in Emera Maine’s service area were without power Saturday, but that number was reduced to about 15,000 that evening as crews responded to outages.
“It’s been a challenging restoration because of the amount of damage Down East,” Emera Maine spokesman Bob Potts said midmorning Monday. Washington County experienced a lot of broken utility poles and trees fallen on power lines, he noted.
The company is using a barge to send trucks out to the Cranberry Isles off the coast of Mount Desert Island in order to restore power, said Potts.
The company also has a crew in a helicopter, patrolling remote areas to look for damage where larger transmission lines are located, he said.
Potts acknowledged that the circumstances are “very challenging and frustrating” for customers who have been without power now for several days.
“We have deployed every available resource,” he said, in order to help them.
“It’s been a process, but we’re getting there, and we appreciate everyone’s patience.”
Potts issued a reminder not to touch downed power lines or trees that are contacting them.
Emera Maine customers who are without power can call 207-973-2020 to report an outage.
As of 5 a.m., 2,766 customers in Washington County were without power, 794 in Hancock and 70 in Aroostook.
Most of the outages were clustered along the coast of Washington and Hancock counties, from Harborside near Penobscot Bay to easternmost Lubec, and also around the cities of Presque Isle and Caribou in Aroostook County.
Although many portions of Lubec were still without power, Town Administrator John Sutherland said the town’s public works employees worked through the weekend and that all roads were passable.
However, trees have knocked down power lines adjacent to some roads, and motorists should use caution in those areas, he said Monday.
A tree fell onto at least one house and a church building, said Sutherland, but he was unsure how badly they were damaged. “All you saw was tree,” he said Monday.
“Considering the severity of the storm, we were lucky,” added Sutherland.
Eight communities in coastal Washington each had an estimated 100-500 customers without power, Emera Maine reported on its website, and other communities in the region reported lesser outages.
The company expected power to be restored to all customers in Washington County by the end of the day Tuesday and, in Hancock, by midday Tuesday. Power was expected to be restored in Aroostook by midday Monday.
Utility crews worked through the overnight to restore power, according to Emera Maine, which was being assisted by 60 workers from southern Maine, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
High winds, the remnants of Hurricane Arthur, battered eastern Maine on Saturday, and the region also received heavy rain. Strong winds broke limbs and toppled trees, pulling down power lines and breaking utility poles. In some cases the downed trees blocked roads and access to areas where utility crews were trying to go to restore power.
At the height of the storm, more than 20,000 customers in Emera Maine’s service area were without power Saturday, but that number was reduced to about 15,000 that evening as crews responded to outages.
“It’s been a challenging restoration because of the amount of damage Down East,” Emera Maine spokesman Bob Potts said midmorning Monday. Washington County experienced a lot of broken utility poles and trees fallen on power lines, he noted.
The company is using a barge to send trucks out to the Cranberry Isles off the coast of Mount Desert Island in order to restore power, said Potts.
The company also has a crew in a helicopter, patrolling remote areas to look for damage where larger transmission lines are located, he said.
Potts acknowledged that the circumstances are “very challenging and frustrating” for customers who have been without power now for several days.
“We have deployed every available resource,” he said, in order to help them.
“It’s been a process, but we’re getting there, and we appreciate everyone’s patience.”
Potts issued a reminder not to touch downed power lines or trees that are contacting them.
Emera Maine customers who are without power can call 207-973-2020 to report an outage.
posted by Advackia at 8:29 AM
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