A low lying power line is seen dangling before utility crews are able to repair the problem. A pole had snapped and was leaning which caused the powerline to be so low.
(Le Mars) — The season’s first snow storm, combined with the strong winds measuring past 40 mph gusts, have made troubles for utility companies, rescue crews, and transportation road crews. Early Friday afternoon, approximately 312 customers of MidAmerican Energy were without power in Le Mars, when a tree
located behind Gehlen Catholic school fell, and bringing down with it a powerline. MidAmerican officials estimate all power will be restored by mid-afternoon. The strong winds and heavy snow were also responsible for a utility pole that had snapped near 4th Avenue Northwest, causing the powerline to hang
low before utility officials were able to set up another pole to help brace the broken pole.
More than a dozen incidents have been reported to the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office of vehicles either sliding into the ditch, or because of the strong winds, were blown off the roadway and into the ditch. One of the incidents involved a semi truck that left the roadway in the northeast corner of Plymouth County near 120th Street and county road K-22. In each of the reported
accidents, there were either minor injuries, or no injuries. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office even had a report of a roof that had blown off a building onto county road C-60 near Noble Avenue.