SHREVEPORT, La. — SWEPCO crews are working to restore electricity to thousands of customers after severe thunderstorms swept through Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
The powerful storms brought damaging winds and hail across the three-state service territory. At the peak of the outages, about 37,000 customers were without power. The majority of those affected live in Louisiana.
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Drivers are urged to be extra careful if they're driving in an area where there is debris. Do not do what the driver does in the video below.
By 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, utility crews had reduced the number of outages to approximately 16,000 customers. Officials said damage assessors found numerous downed power lines and fallen trees throughout the region.
The National Weather Service in Shreveport reported that the threat of additional storms continues Tuesday. The new weather threats are expected to mainly impact Northeast Texas and North Louisiana. Additional storms could cause new outages and delay current restoration efforts.
SWEPCO has mobilized extra resources and contractor partners from across its territory to assist local crews. Specific restoration time estimates will be released once the damage assessment is complete.
Company officials urged the public to stay far away from downed wires and anything touching them. Residents should not attempt to clear debris within 10 feet of a power line. Hazards can be reported to 911 or by calling SWEPCO directly. Customers can also track and report outages through the company mobile app.
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