Centralia working to get power back to city
Some residents in north Boone County may be without power until Sunday.
Centralia City Administrator Matt Harline said electric workers have restored somewhere between one-third to one-half of people’s electricity Thursday night. However, individual homes may be without it until Sunday, as crews try to identify what parts of the circuit need fixing. Line crews with Columbia, Higginsville and Macon helped Centralia to get power back up, with that cooperative work expected to continue Friday.
Both Harline and Assistant Police Chief Robert Bias said many had never seen a storm like Thursday morning’s cause so much damage. Fallen limbs, some whole trees, scattered sidewalks and yards as the sun set. Chainsaws buzzed along Jefferson Street, as Daren Bodine made limbs manageable to collect, as he and his family loaded up his and his neighbors’ debris.
The power outage also affected the police department’s phone lines. Bias said residents could still get in touch with them through 9-1-1.
“We have a ring down to Joint Communications that is still operational, so they can call 9-1-1 if they have something they need us for,” Bias told ABC 17 News.
The city will offer a cooling center starting at 9 a.m. at the city’s recreation center on Lakeview Avenue. City Hall also offers as an open space for cooling down, Harline said.
