ROCKINGHAM — Electric crews are still working to restore power across the Carolinas after a line of storms Monday evening left downed trees and snapped poles in the wake.
As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, Duke Energy reported that more than 51,000 of its customers were without power in North and South Carolina, with the majority of those (44,629) being in the Tar Heel State — including 10 in Richmond County.
Around 8 p.m. Monday, Duke had reported that more than 244,000 customers were out across the two states. At that time, there were more than 5,000 in the dark in Richmond County between Duke and Pee Dee Electric.
First responders stayed busy during and after the storm answering calls of trees down in roads, on power lines and on homes.
“Due to the intensity of the storm, additional staff were on duty in the 911 Center, and Emergency Management staff were monitoring the storm as it progressed,” Emergency Services Director Bob Smith said in an email on Tuesday.
According to Smith, the 911 Center answered more than 150 phone calls, and dispatched 61 calls for service between 7 p.m. and midnight. Of those, 28 were directly related to the storm, he said.
Those calls included:
- Electrical Hazards – 8
- Tree Down -13
- Structure Collapse – 2
- Utilities -1
- Vegetation Fire – 2
- Lightning Strike – 1
As the storm rolled through, the Rockingham Fire Department was conducting a controlled burn exercise on two houses on East Washington Street.
Crews from RFD responded to multiple calls, including a tree down on Richmond Road, pole down on Louise Road and a tree on a home on Elder Avenue, according to Chief Harold Isler.
The storm also caused the Hoffman Town Council to cancel its August meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11.
NOTE: Updated with Hoffman information. 2: 14 p.m. 8-8-23.
