Published: February 12, 2009 04:23 pm      

NEW – Thousands still without power as high winds buffet the region

Thousands in the area are still without power from a severe storm that has been battering the region since last night.

Penelec said that at one point it had about 8,700 customers in the Johnstown District without power.

Areas affected are primarily those serviced by the Reeder Street substation and include Davidsville, Tire Hill Road area and parts of Eisenhower Boulevard.

Penelec asks that anyone still experiencing a power outage call toll free 1-888-544-4877.

REA Energy Cooperative Inc. reportied more than 4000 people were without power.

Areas affected were: White, Clearfield, Jackson and Adams townships and South Fork borough in Cambria County; and Washington and West Wheatfield township in Indiana County.

Several thousand are still without power as companies have all available employees working to fix the problem. No word on when all power will restored.

Cambria 911 reported there had been between 100 and 150 weather-related incidents reported overnight, starting about 8:30 Wednesday night and shortly before 9 this morning.

A 911 supervisor said that most of the incidents involved reports of trees, limbs or wires down. The incidents were occurring mostly in the southern end of Cambria County, from Adams Township, south, she reported.

A woman who lives in the Sidman area of Adams Township reported that a power outage had even affected the Sheetz store there - part of the Altoona-based chain that is open 24 hours a day. It, too, had been closed early today apparently because of the power outage.

PennDOT reported a number of roadways throughout the area were closed because of downed trees.

Route 160 in Adams Township reopened shortly before 4 p.m.

Route 1025 (Ridge Road) in Paint Township, Somerset County opened just before 9:30 a.m.

Motorists are advised to find an alternate route around the closures. If a motorist encounters downed power line and it touches the vehicle do not get out of the vehicle and warn others to stay away from the vehicle. You must assume a downed wire is live. Call for help, and wait for rescue.

The roadways will remain closed until the trees can be removed and power lines repaired.

Statewide, more than 250,000 electricity customers without power Wednesday night and this morning.

A wind gust of 92 mph was recorded at the Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin on Wednesday evening, but most gusts were around 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Downed trees and wires forced road closures, many schools issued delays and a river flood advisory for Pittsburgh was in effect through Saturday.

Allegheny County emergency service officials said 200 people were evacuated from homes and an assisted living center due to a storm-related gas leak, returning early today. Dominion Peoples Gas officials said a valve on a gas line was damaged when trees uprooted in Plum..

FirstEnergy Corp. spokesman Scott Surgeoner said about 100,000 of its Penelec customers in northern Pennsylvania had been without power at peak, but power had been restored to about 54,000 as of midmorning.

Doug Colafella, a spokesman with Allegheny Power, said about 62,000 customers remained without power in Pennsylvania late this morning, down from a peak of about 68,000.