MOREHEAD, Ky. — Strong thunderstorms that moved across Kentucky overnight left tens of thousands of customers without electricity Thursday morning, while Rowan County appears to have avoided the widespread damage seen in some other parts of the Commonwealth.
Statewide reports indicated that between 57,000 and 62,000 utility customers were without power at various points Thursday morning as crews responded to storm-related outages across Kentucky.
According to a morning update from Rowan County Emergency Management, approximately 1,829 electric meters in Rowan County remained without power. Those outages were spread among several providers, including Kentucky Utilities, Kentucky Power, Clark Energy, Grayson RECC, and Fleming-Mason Energy.
County officials reported no major damage at the time of the update, although scattered impacts were noted throughout the area.
Several county roads were affected by downed trees, prompting response efforts from the Rowan County Road Department.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was also working to remove trees from state-maintained roadways, while Morehead Public Works crews assessed and cleared city streets.
Additional information from Kentucky Power's outage map showed a significant outage affecting approximately 539 customers in the Upper Tygart, Emerson, and Olive Hill area. The utility identified the cause as tree contact with power lines, and the outage remained under assessment Thursday morning.
Motorists were urged to use caution on KY 519 near the Glover Glass & Lock area, where a damaged three-phase power pole required replacement. Utility crews were working at the scene, and traffic delays were expected.
Across Kentucky, some of the heaviest concentrations of outages were reported in northern and central portions of the state. Utility companies have reminded residents to stay away from downed power lines and report hazardous conditions immediately.
Emergency management officials expressed appreciation for the efforts of utility workers, road crews, public works employees, and first responders working to restore services and clear roadways following the storms.
Residents are encouraged to monitor local utility providers and emergency management agencies for the latest outage and recovery information.
The Morehead Minute will continue to follow storm recovery efforts in Rowan County and across Eastern Kentucky as additional information becomes available.