| Storm damage closes roads, knocks down power lines throughout county |
By: Darrell Todd Maurina
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Posted: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 11:59 pm
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Old H Highway in Waynesville remains closed due to flooding.
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PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (June 10, 2009) — High winds Wednesday night caused numerous localized and regional power outages around the county, with reports of power outages in downtown Waynesville that knocked out many streetlights as well as downed trees blocking power lines throughout the county.
Highway T and Highway 17 were both reported as being blocked north of the Waynesville city limits, with emergency personnel setting up a roadblock at Rice’s Cleaners on Highway 17 to stop traffic while emergency personnel cleared trees out of the roadway, reopening the road by 9:50 p.m. Tri-County firefighters responded to a report of power lines down on Highway A west of Richland and discovered that while the lines were telephone wires rather than electrical wires, the roadway was completely impassible. Hazelgreen firefighters responded to a Laclede County blockage of a different Highway T in that county that remained blocked as of 11:30 p.m.
Similar blockages due to trees on the roadway were reported on Highway 28 at Veterans Memorial Bridge, Highway 133, Highway FF and Highway BB, as well as many smaller county roads.
Trophy Lane remained closed about a half-mile off Highway Z as of 11:30 p.m. due to power lines across the roadway, along with California Road near Dixon which was still closed.
Downtown Waynesville lost power including the courthouse and the streetlights at the Highway 17 junction. According to dispatch personnel, the new courthouse generator “worked perfectly” and three people used the courthouse for an emergency shelter. Power outages were also reported in the Crocker and Swedeborg areas.
National Weather Service estimates for Pulaski County showed 2 to 4 inches of rainfall. The county is under a flash flood warning until 2 a.m. and a flash flood watch until 7 a.m., with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms beginning again on Thursday, and a 20 percent chance Thursday night. A 30 to 40 percent chance of rain is predicted each day for Friday, Saturday, and the weekend.
National Weather Service reports indicated that due to recent rainfall over the last few days, localized flooding remains possible overnight, with thunderstorms capable of producing rainfall rates exceeding one to two inches at times, resulting in the flooding of low-lying areas and low-water crossings.
No tornadoes hit Pulaski County, though a Hazelgreen firefighter reported cloud rotation and an updraft near his home around 8 p.m. A tornado was identified north of Iberia shortly before 8 p.m. leading to the issuance of a tornado warning for that area, but it didn't affect Pulaski County.
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