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High-Speed Weekend Winds Leave Thousands Without Power

Todd Lappin
/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/4236562722

Two thousand homes and businesses in Indianapolis were still without power early Monday afternoon after wind gusts reaching speeds over 55 miles per hour created disruptions to electricity throughout the state over the weekend.

Outages began on Saturday afternoon, mostly between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Indianapolis Power and Light reports as many as 31,000 people were without electricity over the weekend.

Joseph Nields is a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. He says there are a variety of ways the wind can interrupt the flow of electricity to one’s house.

“Any winds of that strength are going to be able to bring down limbs which can fall on power lines or perhaps even bring down power poles themselves,” Nields says.

Indianapolis Power and Light says it has replaced 13 poles since the winds began. Other outages were caused by large pine trees falling on lines, some catching fire.

At one point, 80 crews were working to restore power to residents in Indianapolis.