5 p.m. update: State Road 11 has been cleared and has reopened, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department reports.
Bartholomew County REMC initially reported 2,800 customers without power after the storm, but had restored power to all but 1,200 customers by 5 p.m., said Marty Lasure, REMC spokeswoman.
Most of the customers without power were in the southwestern part of Bartholomew County, she said. REMC hoped to have power restored by daylight today.
4:30 p.m. update: Duke Energy currently has 6,300 customers out as a result of the recent storms that went through the area. No estimated time of restoration has been set as crews are still assessing the damage and then begin where the most customers can be restored first. Duke has crews out actively working. If people are still without electricity, call 800-343-3525. Customers may also check Duke’s website at duke-energy.com.
4 p.m. update: First responders are working to clear as many as 25 reports of trees down in the road and 10 or more reports of wires down in the road.
Duke Energy is reporting 6,098 customers still without power at 73 different locations.
Trees down have been reported at 1066 E. County Road 400S, 7822 W. State Road 46, along Old Nashville Road and at Jonathan Moore Pike and Johnson Boulevard.
3:45 p.m. update: The Bartholomew County Emergency Operations 911 Center reported they had 47 separate calls that had either already been dispatched or would be dispatched when emergency responders are able to answer them.
According to center director Todd Noblitt, those calls included:
- 11 reports of downed power or utility lines.
- 2 structure fires
- Three fires involving trees and brush.
- Five traffic accidents
Center director Todd Noblitt says the sudden influx of calls was so heavy that it caused some emergency radio frequencies to “tone out”, which means communication wasn’t possible until an open frequency became available.
“That only happens when severe to significant activity happens in a short amount of time,” Noblitt said.
Firefighters were working at least two transformer fires at 3:45 p.m.
Sixteenth Street near Sycamore Street in Columbus is closed due to trees in the roadway.
3:30 p.m. update:
The National Weather Service canceled the severe thunderstorm warning for Bartholomew and surrounding counties at 3:22 p.m.
Power has been restored to some of the Old National Road area, including The Republic. Duke Energy reports that 6,387 customers are currently without power in 66 different locations.
First responders are currently working at 1514 Washington St. which has a tree on a house and wires on a vehicle, and a tree that landed on a house at 717 Maple St.
As many as eight calls have been made about wires down in Columbus, seeking help from Duke Energy and the fire department.
3:15 p.m. update: Duke Energy is reporting that the power outages are mainly in the Old National Road area north to the Columbus Municipal Airport, and the west side of Columbus. Spokesman Chip Orben said the downtown Columbus area currently has power.
Duke officials believe the outages are the result of downed trees and cannot at this time give an estimate on when power will be restored, Orben said.
Duke is asking customers who don’t have power to report it at 1-800-343-3525.
There was a report that the traffic signal at State Road 46 and State Road 11 was not functioning, but that had not been confirmed.
Columbus police reported a traffic backup on State Road 46 at 3:15 p.m.
“We just got totally slammed,” Bartholomew County Emergency Operations 911 Center Director Todd Noblitt said shortly before 3 p.m. “Our dispatchers became flooded with 911 emergency calls, and several public agencies have all their units out.”
As soon as the situation is under control, Noblitt said he will release a list of weather-related incidents.
Initial story:
A quick-moving severe thunderstorm at 3 p.m. today has blown over trees and caused power outages in Bartholomew County.
Duke Energy is reporting power outages in 46 locations affecting 5,335 customers and is currently assessing damage right now, according to their website.
Trees have been reported down on Maple Street, White Oaks Lane, State Road 11 and Old National Road.
For more on this developing story, check back here or pick up a Saturday Republic.
