Severe thunderstorms moving through southern Jefferson County Tuesday night caused power outages and significant damage to portions of the electrical system operated by Tri-County Electric Cooperative.
The cooperative reported considerable damage in the area of Rend Lake College, including damaged electrical equipment, broken and leaning utility poles, downed power lines, and other storm-related issues.
The storms left a number of residents without electricity until crews completed repairs around midnight. Tri-County Electric said all available personnel were called in to assist with restoration efforts.
The cooperative is asking residents cleaning up storm debris to report any damaged poles, lines, or electrical equipment so repairs can be made as quickly as possible.
The National Weather Service issued two severe thunderstorm warnings for southern Jefferson County as the storms moved through the area.