WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – Appalachian Power reports that more than 219,000 customers were without power as the remnants of Hurricane Helene sweep across Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
The storm has caused widespread outages, and with high winds and heavy rains continuing, the number of affected customers is expected to rise.
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As of this afternoon, approximately 180,000 Appalachian Power customers are without service.
Virginia has been the hardest hit, with 128,000 customers experiencing outages.
In West Virginia, 39,000 are affected, while in Tennessee, about 16,000 are without power. More than 2,200 separate outages have been reported across the three states, indicating extensive storm damage.
More than 1,000 workers, including employees and contractors, are working to restore power, with additional assistance crews arriving from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas.
However, the ongoing rain and high winds are expected to delay restoration efforts.
Appalachian Power anticipates that power restoration could extend through Sunday or beyond in the hardest-hit areas, though some less affected regions may see power restored sooner.
The company had already prepped for the storm by placing employees and partners on alert.
The company urges customers to prepare for potential extended outages. Residents are advised to:
Check on the elderly, young children, and those with medical conditions.
Charge essential devices like phones and laptops.
Prepare emergency kits with food, water, flashlights, batteries, radios, first aid supplies, and medications.
Appalachian Power stresses safety during the storm.
Downed power lines should be treated as live and avoided at all costs. If you spot a fallen line, contact 911 and Appalachian Power immediately.
The company also advises against plugging generators into circuit boxes and warns residents of potential flooding, urging caution on the roads.
