Power Outages, Storm Damage in East Texas

EAST TEXAS — Extensive power outages were reported in East Texas following thunderstorms that moved through the area Thursday night. There was also notable damage, with the Longview Heights area among those hardest hit. KETK reports homes were damaged, trees blew over, and power lines were knocked down in the eastern part of Longview near Mona Avenue.

Southwestern Electric Power Company says over 17,000 customers were without power at one point, including over 12,000 in Gregg County. Crews have succeeded in restoring much of the power, and they are continuing to work on the problems. As of late Friday, though, many homes in Longview Heights were still without electricity, and it wasn’t clear when they’d have it back.