Tens of thousands are without power in Massachusetts after a severe thunderstorm
September 9 (UPI) — Tens of thousands of people in Massachusetts remained without power Saturday afternoon after thunderstorms downed power lines across the state.
An online power outage map maintained by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency showed that 32,400 customers were without power as of 3:30 p.m. EST.
The largest number of people without electricity live in Andover, north of Boston. The power outages affected the company’s Eversource and National Grid customers.
“Wow, what an evening!” The Andover Police Department said in a statement after the storm.
Local officials said the town supports efforts to restore power after two of the town’s main power sources suffered “severe damage.”
“Damage to essential power supplies will result in a significant delay in restoring power. Power outages are expected to continue until tomorrow,” they said in a Facebook post.
Emergency crews spent Saturday clearing fallen trees from roads, and officials warned there would be a delay in clearing the debris, which is expected to take several days.
“The town encourages residents to exercise extreme caution when traveling on roads or sidewalks,” officials said. “Live wires can be difficult to identify and are often obstructed by limbs or other storm debris.”
Middlesex County, west of Boston, was also hit hard by the storm, with thousands of customers experiencing power outages.
The National Electricity Grid said in a statement that the “fast-moving” storm brought winds of more than 55 miles per hour in some areas.
“National Grid has secured additional crews and personnel throughout Massachusetts to repair damage caused by this storm,” said Tim Moore, vice president of New England Electrical Operations.
“We are currently working to assess the damage and address public safety and will work to restore power as quickly as safely possible.”
Meanwhile, thunderstorms hit North Carolina on Saturday, with frequent lightning and heavy rain with up to an inch and a half of water in some places, according to the National Weather Service in Raleigh, North Carolina.
A flash flood warning was in effect for Wake County, North Carolina, until 4:30 p.m. “Hazardous Weather” advisories were in effect for much of central North Carolina, urging residents to watch out for damaging wind gusts.
Strong storms Had to delay In a college football game between North Carolina State and Notre Dame, which was stopped in the second quarter when lightning appeared near Carter Finley Stadium in Raleigh.
