It cost the City of Union more than $30,000 to repair the damage to its utility system caused by the thunderstorms that swept through the county on April 6.

The thunderstorms were part of a squall line that moved from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Coast bringing torrential downpours; winds averaging 60-70 mph or higher; hail; and 20 tornadoes in the lower Ohio Valley, parts of the Tennessee Valley and the western Gulf Coast from Louisiana into Mississippi. As it passed through the Upstate, the squally line brought high winds, thunder and lightning followed by torrential rains of up to one in and, in some areas, hail one inch in diameter.

In Union County, the squall line arrived around 1:30 a.m., generating winds that toppled trees on houses, cars and power lines. The fallen lines left hundreds of city utility customers in Union, Buffalo, Bonham, Sardis and other areas without power. City crews worked throughout the day to repair the damage and by the end of the day power was fully restored.

City of Union Utility Director Joe Nichols said Friday the repairs included replacing six utility poles damaged by falling trees. Nichols said the final cost to the utility system from the storm was $33,596.17 including labor ($13,073.85), materials ($7,289.15) and equipment ($9,828) as well as the services provided by a mutual aid contractor ($3,403.17).