Published On: 10.07.16 | 

By: Katie Kilcoyne

As Hurricane Matthew bears down, Alabama Power crews ready to deploy for storm assistance

Storm-restore-Feature

Alabama Power truck (file)

As Hurricane Matthew continues its track along the Eastern Coast, States of Emergency have been declared in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The deadly storm is expected to spin north through Sunday along the states’ coastlines.

As of late Friday afternoon, there have been three U.S. storm-related deaths, while the death toll in Haiti has surpassed 800 and is expected to rise, according to news reports.

Florida’s Space Coast has been pounded with heavy rains, storm surge flooding and punishing winds, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a rare “extreme wind warning.”

With the threat of downed power lines and other structural damage in Hurricane Matthew‘s path, Alabama Power crews are heading east to assist with power outage restoration. Early Saturday morning, about 540 company personnel and an additional nearly 150 contract crews will leave to assist Georgia Power with storm restoration efforts, as the storm is expected to affect the southeastern portion of the state.

The Alabama Power Storm Center continues to monitor the storm and its projected path, and remains prepared to assist areas damaged by the hurricane.