Severe storm knocks out power across the area

Southwestern Electric Power Co. lists a total of 1,958 customers without power in Bowie County, Texas, and Miller County, Ark., after a severe thunderstorm swept through the Texarkana area in an hour's time.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service out of Shreveport, La., for both counties at 4:07 p.m., and it lasted until 5 p.m.

Some areas and roadways may be flooded.

At 5:15 p.m., Miller County had a total of 249 SWEPCO customers without power. Bowie County had 1,709 without power, for an overall total of 1,958 for both, according to the electric company's power outage map.

SWEPCO serves 536,505 customers in 50 counties and parishes in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

A representative for the company said they were receiving numerous calls about outages in the Texarkana area and that the estimated time for restoration was 7:30 p.m.

"There is a tree down in that area, and we don't have an estimated time for when power will be restored in that spot, but there are crews currently on site," the representative said.

Arkansas-side Fire Marshal Stephen Johnson said a few power lines are down and a tree had fallen across the road at Pinehurst and Preston streets.

Johnson also said that some areas were flooded at underpasses such as East Ninth and Broad streets, and East and Dudley streets. People were driving through the floodwaters, he said, adding that driving through flooded areas is not a good idea.

"In places like that, there is a pretty good chance there may be 3 feet of water and that will flood out your vehicle," Johnson said.

Check Sunday's edition of the Gazette for more on storm damage and power outages.

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