Power restored for most residents, damage still a concern after severe weather pummels the Triangle

By Adam Owens, WRAL anchor/reporter

Raleigh, N.C. — Since Friday thousands of Triangle residents have been dealing with power outages and damage in the aftermath of severe weather.

On Saturday morning, more than 40,000 people in the Raleigh area woke up without power. As of Saturday afternoon, the number of customers without power in the Raleigh area was down to just under 20,000.

Around 2,800 were still without power as of Sunday around 9 a.m.

By afternoon Sunday, only about 200 people were still facing outages.

Jeff Brooks with Duke Energy said the Triangle took a bigger hit from Friday’s storms than many may realize.

“This is very much like hurricane-level damage that we are seeing,” said Brooks.

The outages were widespread and not concentrated to one area in Wake County. For the most part, however, outages were in the southern portion of Wake County and north Raleigh was spared.

Jelisa Miller, who lives in southeast Raleigh, lost power at 6 p.m. and was still without power at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Almost $400 worth of deep frozen food and meat spoiled, work and home maintenance delayed, all in the climbing temperatures of summer,” said Miller.

She said was glad temperatures were not as high as they have been in recent days.

“I would be a puddle on the floor,” said Miller.

Brooks said crews first worked to quickly repair main lines, but this storm caused damage in many more areas.

Brooks told WRAL News around 18 hundred line workers are on the job in the triangle and more are coming in from surrounding areas.

“They are going to keep working until everybody is restored,” said Brooks.