Montana News
Power in Missoula back for some, others may have to wait until early next week
Thousands of people in Missoula were still without power Friday afternoon after a powerful storm blasted through the area Wednesday night.NorthWestern Energy at noon Friday said they had more than 160 personnel and 34 line crews working to restore electricity as quickly as possible. The utility warned some outages might not be repaired until early next week.
- Duration:
- 1m
- Broadcast on:
- 27 Jul 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
With Montana News, I'm Elinor Smith. Thousands of people in Missoula were still without power Friday after noon, nearly two days after a powerful storm blasted through the area. MTPR's Austin Amistoy has the latest. Northwestern Energy at noon Friday said they had more than 160 personnel and 34 line crews working to restore electricity as quickly as possible. The utility warned some outages might not be repaired until early next week. Despite 80 mile per hour winds toppling hundreds of trees and power poles, Missoula County Disaster Services coordinator Nick Holloway says only minor injuries have been reported. I think that's people taking care of people. We've been through a lot of wildfires. We've been through flooding. We've even been through a big wind event like this before. And so we've seen a lot and we know how to respond. Holloway says some intersections in the city may still be without power. Those are to be treated like four-way stops. He says residents should only call 911 if there is a genuine emergency. For non-emergency storm questions residents can call 406-258-4636. The Clark Fork River between Milltown and Petty Creek Fishing Access site remains closed due to the risk of electrification from fallen power lines. The Bitterroot River is also closed between looking glass fishing access site to the confluence with the Clark Fork. The city is asking residents in the South Hills, Linda Vista, and Lewis and Clark neighborhoods to conserve water for essential use only, as just one of two wells serving the area was online Friday. The Red Cross continues to staff the Missoula County Election Center, where residents can charge personal devices or take a shower. For the latest storm updates, visit mtpr.org. In Missoula, I'm Austin Amistoy. This is MTPR.