Storm Causes Mass Power Outages In Clayton County
South of Atlanta, Clayton County is experiencing major power outages due to the ice storm that’s pummeling the metro region.As heard on the radio.
Georgia Power estimated just under 40,000 people in Clayton County were without out power as a result of the storm, more than a third of the company’s customers in the county.
County officials are urging residents to stay off the roads for the next few days, and county schools have canceled classes Thursday.
Walter Barber of Clayton Fire and Emergency Services said the storm downed many trees and power lines around 7 a.m., especially in cities like Jonesboro and Riverdale.
“We’re just encouraging everybody that can to stay indoors and stay as warm as possible because of the threat that’s posed by the falling ice and the falling trees and the falling branches,” Barber said. “We don’t want anyone unnecessarily outside to get hurt.”
Barber said the county has seven crews on the roads dedicated exclusively to clearing them of debris. He said the county is also maintaining a database of non-emergency medical calls that’s being updated constantly so officials can check in with callers later when roads are better.
Barber didn’t have a number on how many calls the county had received, but said of the phone line, “I can tell you that it’s been ringing off the hood since about, oh, 6:30 this morning.”
Clayton Police Department is also encouraging people to stay off roads, but said police stations are open as warming stations for those who need them.
Calls and emails to officials in Jonesboro and Riverdale did not receive a response.
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