Pocono News Section

Intense Heat Follows Weekend Storm

Intense Heat Follows Weekend Storm - Monday, August 10, 2009 at 6:40PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Monday, Aug 10, 2009 @ 06:40pm EST
Williamsport, Lycoming County-

Cleanup continues from the storm that ripped through central Pennsylvania on Sunday. Now some folks still without power are dealing with the intense heat.

Scenes like this-workers cleaning up fallen branches and even entire trees- were common around Williamsport Monday morning. They are physical remnants of the fast-moving storm that tore through the area the afternoon before.

Edgar Smith, of Walnut Street, recalled, “It came in and stayed for about 10-12 minutes and it was gone.”

Smith watched the storm cut a path of destruction from inside his home. He recalled, “(It) tore down trees, pulled up trees, broke trees over and it just really messed up Walnut Street all the way down.”

The whipping winds downed power lines and poles, even causing some minor fires.

Thousands were left without power Sunday night. That number was down to a couple hundred by Monday afternoon.

The lights have been off at Greg Entz’s Hawthorne Avenue home for well over 24 hours.

Entz noted, “We’re just coping with it the best we can. We’re borrowing generators from friends and just dealing with the heat.”

Entz said he planned to relax a little bit to try and beat the heat. He added, “Well it’s very hot, very humid. Luckily I haven’t had to do too much manual labor today.”

Former Lycoming County Public Safety Director Gary Hutchinson says young people and the elderly are most susceptible to the intense heat.

He suggests staying indoors, drinking plenty of fluids, and avoiding intense work, especially for those who may still be without power.

Officials in two of the hardest hit areas- Lycoming and Northumberland counties- say water distribution points have been set up at various locations for anyone who may need them.

You can call your county communication center for details.