Illinois Governor Pat Quinn got a first hand look Tuesday at the storm damage that turned the lights out across six southern Illinois counties. The powerful winds blew over thousands of trees on Friday ripping out power lines, crushing cars and damaging roofs.
After touring a neighborhood in Marion, the governor called the devastation heartbreaking and massive. "When you see hundred year old trees.. mighty trees felled in a few seconds by a mighty wind you know right away the power of nature," Quinn said. Six counties now rank as state disaster areas. Once the recovery work is underway, state emergency management officials will begin identifying the damage to public property to see if it qualifies for a federal disaster declaration.
The governor praised volunteers and Ameren-Illinois workers for their efforts to remove debris and restore power. At one time everyone in Jackson and Williamson counties had no electricity. Major transmission lines in rugged forest areas near Carbondale were damaged. Thick mud and swampy areas have made it difficult to move heavy equipment into place to complete the repair job. In some areas crews are walking equipment in to reach the damaged lines. "Our guys are down there in knee deep mud trying to get restoration done," said Ameren-Illinois spokesperson Victoria Busch.
As of three o'clock Tuesday Ameren still had 28,000 customers without power across southern Illinois. Busch expected most to have their power back on by midnight, but she said some could take until Thursday or Friday. Two thousand utility workers from five states have been brought into the area to make repairs. Five hundred have been housed on the Southern Illinois-Carbondale campus.
Williamson County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Steve Land predicted all the cleanup could take until Christmas. The size of the downed trees makes the cleanup challenging. Some of the tree root balls are so large a dump truck will be needed to haul them away. "Everything is gonna half to be sawed completely," explained Land.
After touring a neighborhood in Marion, the governor called the devastation heartbreaking and massive. "When you see hundred year old trees.. mighty trees felled in a few seconds by a mighty wind you know right away the power of nature," Quinn said. Six counties now rank as state disaster areas. Once the recovery work is underway, state emergency management officials will begin identifying the damage to public property to see if it qualifies for a federal disaster declaration.
The governor praised volunteers and Ameren-Illinois workers for their efforts to remove debris and restore power. At one time everyone in Jackson and Williamson counties had no electricity. Major transmission lines in rugged forest areas near Carbondale were damaged. Thick mud and swampy areas have made it difficult to move heavy equipment into place to complete the repair job. In some areas crews are walking equipment in to reach the damaged lines. "Our guys are down there in knee deep mud trying to get restoration done," said Ameren-Illinois spokesperson Victoria Busch.
As of three o'clock Tuesday Ameren still had 28,000 customers without power across southern Illinois. Busch expected most to have their power back on by midnight, but she said some could take until Thursday or Friday. Two thousand utility workers from five states have been brought into the area to make repairs. Five hundred have been housed on the Southern Illinois-Carbondale campus.
Williamson County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Steve Land predicted all the cleanup could take until Christmas. The size of the downed trees makes the cleanup challenging. Some of the tree root balls are so large a dump truck will be needed to haul them away. "Everything is gonna half to be sawed completely," explained Land.
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