Electricity still out for 4,000 locallyMost roads reopened

Published 11:35 am Friday, August 31, 2012

High winds and fallen trees from Tropical Storm Isaac left more than 4,000 customers across the county without power this morning.

Entergy officials estimated about 4,052 people without power at 8 a.m., said Warren County Emergency Management Director John Elfer. In the Redwood area, Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association reported 30 customers without power, he said.

The county estimates $31,000 in damages from Isaac, Elfer said.

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“Most of those are minor damage with a few being major, but we had no one injured,” he said.

Wind gusts of up to 44 mph were reported Thursday at Vicksburg-Tallulah Regional Airport, and 3.67 inches of rain was recorded at Vicksburg water treatment plant on Haining Road.

From 6 p.m. Wednesday to 6 p.m. Thursday, Warren County responded to 137 weather-related calls, Sheriff Martin Pace said. The vast majority of those calls were trees blocking roads or on homes, Pace said.

“We understand that it was very inconvenient and we greatly appreciate the patience of the public,” Pace said.

All county roads were reported clear enough to have at least one lane of traffic open this morning. In the city, trees were still blocking Drummond Street and North Frontage Road near Iowa Boulevard.

Numerous trees had fallen in Vicksburg National Military Park, but no monuments were damaged, park officials said. The visitor center was open today, but the tour roads remained closed to all traffic, including pedestrian and bicycle.

Public schools remained closed today because of roof leaks and power outages, Vicksburg Warren School District Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Swinford said. Roof leaks were found at Sherman Avenue Elementary and Vicksburg Junior High School, she said. Water leaked from the cafeteria at Bowmar Elementary, where power was out. Redwood Elementary School was also out of power, she said.

Water was found on a ground floor at Warren Central Junior High School and a window was broken at Grove Street School, she said. Classes will resume Tuesday after the Labor Day holiday, she said.

The school board meeting originally scheduled for Thursday was rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday because of the weather.

Porters Chapel Academy was also closed today and expected to resume Tuesday. Vicksburg Catholic Schools returned to class today.

No flooding was reported at the city wastewater treatment plant or the water treatment plant, said interim public works director Garnet Van Norman.