News
Strong Storms Knock Out Power And Damage Buildings
By: Atish Baidya, Gabe Ross, WOUB Contributing Writer
Posted on:
UPDATE 7:35 p.m. American Electric Power crews are slowly restoring power to customers in Ohio and West Virginia, but thousands still remain in the dark.
According to AEP Ohio's outage map more than 7,000 customers in the region are without power. In Athens County that includes just over 2,800 customers.
Other power outage numbers from AEP Ohio are as follows:
Washington County: 1,541
Gallia County: 240
Coshocton County: 168
The map shows that AEP Customers in Lawrence, Licking and Meigs counties now have power.
AEP Ohio officials were unable to confirm is the outages were weather-related.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said a downed power line shut down a portion of U.S. Route 50 near the Athens-Vinton county line. Dispatchers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol said U.S. 50 would reopen as soon as AEP Ohio crews remove the line from the road.
Albany Police report on the department’s Facebook page that the storm caused a tree to fall, bringing down power lines onto an occupied house on McCoy Avenue.
Gallipolis Police said the storm ripped off the roof of a building on Court Street between Second and Third Avenues. The building houses a couple of apartments and the Genealogical Society office.
A local business, the Nybble Cafe, posted a picture of the damage on their Facebook page.
No one was hurt but at least one car was damaged as a result.
The National Weather Service says showers and thunderstorms are expected throughout Friday evening.
UPDATE 4:50 p.m. A strong spring storm moved through the region Friday afternoon causing power outages, closing roads and damaging buildings.
Thousands of people in Southeast Ohio are without power.
According to American Electric Power’s outage map more than 7,800 customers in the region are in the dark. In Athens County that includes nearly 2,800 customers.
Other power outage numbers from AEP Ohio are as follows:
Washington County: 1,011
Coshocton County: 542
Licking County: 245
Meigs County: 237
Lawrence County: 304
Gallia County: 245
AEP Ohio officials were unable to confirm is the outages were weather-related.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said a downed power line shut down a portion of U.S. Route 50 near the Athens-Vinton county line. Dispatchers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol said U.S. 50 would reopen as soon as AEP Ohio crews remove the line from the road.
Albany Police report on the department’s Facebook page that the storm caused a tree to fall, bringing down power lines onto an occupied house on McCoy Avenue.
Gallipolis Police said the storm ripped off the roof of a building on Court Street between Second and Third Avenues. The building houses a couple of apartments and the Genealogical Society office.
A local business, the Nybble Cafe, posted a picture of the damage on their Facebook page.
No one was hurt but at least one car was damaged as a result.
The National Weather Service says showers and thunderstorms are expected throughout Friday evening.
Thousands are without power in Central and Southeast Ohio after strong storms rolled through the region Friday afternoon.
American Electric Power reports that nearly 2,800 of its customers are without electricity in Athens County.
Other power outage numbers from AEP Ohio are as follows:
Washington County: 1,011
Coshocton County: 542
Licking County: 245
Meigs County: 237
Lawrence County: 304
Gallia County: 245
AEP Ohio officials were unable to confirm whether the outages were weather-related.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is forecasting the possibility of severe thunderstorms Friday for parts of the Ohio Valley into central Pennsylvania.
The SPC has placed much of East-Central Ohio under a slight risk for severe weather
The NWS says primary threats from these systems will be gusty winds reaching speeds up to 60 mph. Frequent cloud to ground lightning can also be expected.
NWS Radar indicates storms are moving northeast and are picking up in intensity as they pass through the WOUB Coverage area.
The National Weather Service recommends that those in the warning areas move to safe shelter and stay away from windows.