Dat Vicky Storms in Springfield is zullen ze daar geweten hebben: een ijs-storm heeft heel de stad in rep en roer gezet. De electriciteit is uitgevallen en het is er bar koud en gevaarlijk door de ijsregens buiten.
Vicky heeft ons met haar gsm gebeld zaterdag rond 21 uur. Ze vertelde dat er in hun 'dorm' geen electriciteit meer was; dat ze geen verwarming hebben; dat ze niet meer online kunnen. Ze moeten voor onbepaalde duur verhuizen naar elders in de stad.
Dat het ernstig is zie aan foto's over de storm.
Hier een tekst van een lokale site:
Ice storm blanks power for 65,000 in Springfield area
© 2006, Springfield News-Leader
If you’re reading this, pass the information along — many of your neighbors are without power, much less Internet access.
An ice storm that struck the Ozarks late Friday has left an estimated 65,000 City Utilities customers in the Springfield area — and possibly 90 to 100 of percent of residents in surrounding towns — without power.
The National Weather Service says occasional periods of freezing rain are likely throughout today and tonight, with three-fifths of an inch of accumulation possible by morning.
Sleet and freezing rain will continue to fall Sunday until after midnight, the NWS said.
City Utilities spokesman Ern DeKamp said between 60,000 and 70,000 customers are without power today.
He said 33 crews, which includes line crews and tree-trimming crews, are working to restore power. Also, 80 more crews are expected to arrive in the city tonight and start work on Sunday.
Crews are not concentrating on one particular area of the city, DeKamp said.
“We try to scatter them as far apart as possible,” he said.
Since freezing rain is still falling and tree limbs are still breaking, people may see their power return, but then lose it again, DeKamp said.
Springfield and Greene County officials declared the region a disaster area at about 1 a.m. this morning, and Gov. Matt Blunt is expected to visit Springfield this afternoon.
Blunt issued executive orders today declaring a state of emergency and activating the Missouri National Guard. He also put the Disaster Medical Assitance Team on standby.
More than 200,000 househods statewide were left without power. Power outages are dispersed throughout the state, with Springfield and the St. Louis area hit hardest, the governor’s office said.
The storm downed trees and power lines across the Ozarks, leading to a deluge of calls that have swamped 911 dispatchers, said Springfield Police spokesman Officer Grant Story.
At the same, relatively ice-free roads have led many residents to venture out of their homes, causing serious traffic snarls at intersections with non-functioning signals.
“I don’t know that we’re having a big problem with accidents yet, but we are having a problem with congestion because people are not staying home,” Story said.
He urged residents to stay home if possible, and to not call 911 for non-emergency problems such as downed trees or power outages — those problems should be reported to City Utilities at 863-9000.
“We’re getting swamped with calls,” Story said, which could potentially hurt the department’s ability to respond to high priority calls.
SHELTER
In response to widespread power outages, the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross, in conjunction with the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management, has opened a warming center at the Salvation Army Harbor House, 636 N. Boonville Ave.
This is a warming center, not a shelter, and no overnight accommodations are available. Hot meals and coffee will be served.
Other warming shelters are being set up in surrounding areas, said EMS spokeswoman Jenny Fillmer Edwards. For more shelter information, call the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management at 869-6040. Do not call 911 for shelter information.
Those who can should stay home, Edwards said.
“We expect the shelters to be serving a great number of people as the day wears on ...
“We’re expecting another wave of rain and sleet this afternoon, and then a third wave is forecast for tomorrow morning into the afternoon. Coupled with low temperatures and high winds, we expect that third wave to be the worst of the three.”
The Red Cross is operating an overnight shelter at Schweitzer United Methodist Church, 2747 E. Sunshine St. People traveling to this shelter are advised to bring bedding, personal hygiene items and necessary medical supplies. The Salvation Army will provide transportation from the warming center to the overnight shelter if needed. Pets are not allowed in the shelter or the warming center.
Transportation to the Salvation Army warming center and the Schweitzer shelter is available through Springfield City Utilities bus
