OCTOBER 12 NOON UPDATE:
MARTINSVILLE – Martinsville City Electric and Public Works crews are continuing with cleanup and power restoration efforts Friday, related to the intense storm that passed through the area on Thursday. At the height of the storm late Thursday afternoon, it is estimated approximately 75 precent of the City was without power. Electric and Public Works crews worked throughout Thursday night, and will again be working this evening and the weekend to restore power and remove debris. A substantial number of outages have already been resolved. An estimated 25 to 30 large trees were down in scattered areas of the City, blocking streets and taking down lines and poles. Three electric crews from outside the area – a crew from Front Royal and two crews from North Carolina will be on site Friday, assisting the City’s Electric Department.
Crews are currently working to clear a downed tree near the Corn Tassel and Root Trail intersection and once completed, it is expected power will be restored to a large area in the Corn Tassel, Sam Lions, lower Mulberry and Hunting Ridge Road areas. That work is expected to be completed by 5 PM Friday afternoon. There is significant damage with downed trees and damaged poles on Mulberry Road from Sheraton Court to Maplewood, and power is expected to be restored in that area by 5 PM Saturday.
There are numerous areas throughout Martinsville where smaller sections of streets or isolated homes are affected, and that work will occur throughout the weekend and into the early part of next week. A number of homes have damage resulting from fallen trees or limbs that may require private contractors to repair.
Citizens are reminded to not attempt to move or saw trees or limbs in situations where utility lines are tangled, or where lines are laying on the ground. The lines may be energized and are extremely dangerous.