By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
STURGIS — Residents of Sturgis are still recovering Monday morning from damage sustained in severe storms that rolled through the area last week.
On Thursday, severe thunderstorms rolled through parts of St. Joseph County, causing power outages, downed lines and downed trees in a few areas. According to St. Joseph County Emergency Manager Josh Shook, the worst line of damage went from just south of Constantine east through Sturgis over to just north of Burr Oak.
In Sturgis, 3,000 people were without power the morning after the storm, with reports of downed limbs and power lines. That afternoon, city officials estimated it would take between six and seven days to fully restore power. As of Sunday night, the city said 600 Sturgis Electric customers are still out of power.
“While great progress has been made in restoration, there is still a lot of work to be done and we will continue to provide updates on progress and important related information,” the city said in a Facebook post Sunday night.
In a statement Monday morning, Shook said all other major utility companies reported that electricity has been restored to those who lost power from the storm.
City officials reminded residents that if they notice a downed power line or experience a new power outage, they should call Sturgis Electric’s outage line at 269-659-7255 and a leave a message, and if a downed power line appears active, they need to call 911.
St. Joseph County United Way has been assisting residents in the aftermath of the storms, cooking and providing food and water for residents in the area, as well as a shower trailer provided by Sturgis First Presbyterian Church. In a Facebook post Monday morning, the United Way said they would be “in and out of the communities in the county” and “happy to help with as many needs as we possibly can.” A food distribution in the area is planned for this week, they added, but a date and time has not been announced as of yet.
Sturgis Public Safety said they are partnering with Michigan State Police to offer free oxygen tank filling Monday from 2-4 p.m. Residents are asked to bring their empty tanks with them, as staff would not be providing tanks, and enter the city parking lot from behind the library.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
