Tree limbs broken off and dropped onto power lines by the high winds and heavy rains generated by the thunderstorm that passed through Union County Sunday afternoon left as many as 400 homes and businesses in parts of Buffalo and Union without power for approximately an hour.

City of Union Utility Director Joe Nichols said the power outages occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m. as the storm passed through both communities. Nichols said the outages were mainly due to tree limbs being broken off by the wind and rain and falling onto power lines causing the circuits to trip, shutting off power to the affected areas. He said part of Buffalo, the Duncan Bypass, part of SC 49 near the city and part of downtown Union along Main Street lost power.

Nichols said that 300-400 residences and businesses were without power as city crews checked the lines for damage and gradually restored power. He said most of those affected had their power restored within an hour and that crews had completed major repairs by 2 a.m.

In a few cases, however, the winds felled trees which pulled down service lines to individual homes. Nichols said a couple of those homes were still without power Monday morning while their owners waited for electricians to come and remount their meter bases. He said once that was done, city personnel would be able to repair the lines to those houses.

As a precaution, Nichols said utility crews were out Monday cutting down trees damaged by the storm to prevent them from falling on power lines and causing more outages.

Jonesville

Sunday’s storm was the second one to pass through the county in two days, and its predecessor caused not only a power outage but an automobile accident in Jonesville Saturday evening.

Jonesville Police Chief Jimmy Kimbrell the storm caused an oak tree to fall across Pacolet Street, taking down power lines as it fell. Kimbrell said that shortly after the tree fell a car ran into it. No one, however, was injured.

Lockhart Power Line Superintendent Bruce Parker said approximately 100 people in Jonesville were without power for up to three hours until the damage was repaired. Parker added that there were no outages in the Lockhart area.