Thousands without power in LA after outages from storm
Scattered power outages blamed on Tropical Storm Kay were affecting thousands of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers Saturday, prompting officials to schedule additional field crews to respond to situations throughout the coverage area.
"If you're affected by power outages caused by wind & rain from Tropical Storm Kay, our crews worked through the night and will continue around the clock," the utility tweeted just before 9 a.m. Saturday. Approximately 24,700 customers were without power at that time.
Fortunately for a good portion of those residents who experienced outages, 16,000 of them had their power restored as of 3:30 p.m., LADWP confirmed to CBSLA, adding that 12,795 still remain without power.
Playa del Rey had approximately 2,000 customers without power, Echo Park had around 2,500 and Harvard Heights had 1873, according to LADWP.
The LADWP said the estimated time for crews to respond to an outage is 12 to 24 hours from when it began.
"The most frequent cause of power outages during heavy rain and wind storms is flying debris, like tree branches and palm fronds, that can make contact with power lines, resulting in outages. This is particularly true with the first rain after an extended period of time, and especially after the dry conditions like the kind the region has seen as a result of the drought," LADWP officials said.
The utility urged residents to use caution around downed or dangling power lines or poles. Downed wires should never be touched, and residents who see them should dial 911 immediately.
(This is a developing story. Check back for updates.)