UPDATE: Power restoration efforts are underway in Clark County, Washington, as utility crews from Clark Public Utilities work tirelessly to fix downed lines caused by severe storms. As of late Wednesday night, approximately 5,000 customers remain without power, down from a staggering 98,000 earlier in the day.
The outages began around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday when strong winds and falling trees wreaked havoc across the region. Residents expressed their frustrations as they faced prolonged darkness. “I hope the lights get turned back on and my freezer full of salmon doesn’t go bad,” said Andrew Colver, a resident of east Vancouver. “We don’t miss electricity until it’s gone.”
Utility spokesperson Dameon Pesanti stated, “Things have been very busy. We’re working to restore power, triage the damage, and build a plan.” Crews are committed to working around the clock until full service is restored, and they encourage residents to report outages to assist in quicker restoration efforts.
Pesanti highlighted the unprecedented nature of this storm: “To date, I have not experienced an atmospheric river this large or seen outages at this level all at once.” The storm’s impact extends beyond homes; local businesses are also feeling the strain. In downtown Camas, the popular restaurant Grains of Wrath closed due to storm damage, posting on social media that it would be “closed until further notice.”
Residents are adjusting their plans amid the chaos. “We were going to eat here, but now we’re going to find something else, hopefully,” said local patron Linda Mallon. “Power is hit or miss throughout town. Some places are open, and right next door some are closed.”
As restoration efforts continue, Pesanti cautioned residents to stay clear of downed power lines, especially near standing water. “It’s not worth the risk,” he stressed. Crews are also preparing for potential additional storms while recovering from the current situation.
Colver offered a heartfelt message of gratitude for the hard work of utility crews: “I know they’re working very hard. Thank you very much for all that you’re doing.” As the community rallies together in the face of adversity, all eyes remain on the utility workers dedicated to restoring power and normalcy.
Stay tuned for updates as the situation develops and follow local authorities for the latest information on power restoration efforts in Clark County.
