UPDATE: 5,500 without power, Newfoundland Power says

There are now 5,500 Newfoundland Power customers waiting for power to return, according to the latest update from the electric utility company.

As of 5 p.m. today, spokeswoman Michele Coughlan said 1,000 of those affected customers are in the St. John’s area, with a further 2,500 spread throughout the rest of the Avalon Peninsula. Newfoundland Power expects to take care of those cases before the end of today.

As for the remaining 2,000 customers that the company is calling “isolated trouble calls,” Coughlan said their situations are still being assessed, with work to restore power in those cases expected to continue until at least Thursday.

Six poles down in the Deer Park cabin area on the Salmonier Line are creating additional trouble for Newfoundland Power. Coughlan said those customers will not likely have power return until Friday.

-----

Earlier story

Approximately 9,000 Newfoundland Power customers on the Avalon Peninsula are still without power as of midday Wednesday, one day after tropical storm Leslie hit the island.

According to Newfoundland Power spokeswoman Michele Coughlan, 6,000 of those customers are in the St. John’s area, with five main feeders in need of repairs. The remaining 3,000 customers are spread throughout the Avalon Peninsula.

Over 60 poles needed replacing as of this morning, according to Coughlan. Trees tangled with power lines and lines downed by fallen trees were continuing to pose problems for the electric utility, she said. Siding detached from various buildings had also caused problems for power lines.

Coughlan said the company intends to have all main feeders repaired by Wednesday’s supper hour, adding that isolated outages for some customers may run into Thursday.  

She continued to advise those who encounter downed power lines to avoid them and contact Newfoundland Power at 1-800-474-5711.

Meanwhile:

• Repairs to the pedway connecting the Field House and the Aquarena on Memorial’s St. John’s campus will continue to restrict access to Westerland Road through Thursday, Sept. 13.

Further repairs will continue past Thursday that will require intermittent closure of Westerland Road throughout Friday, and possibly beyond. It is unknown when repairs will be complete as temporary parts are being manufactured to make the pedway secure for the winter.

The pedway was damaged Tuesday during post-tropical storm Leslie.

While there will be no through traffic on Westerland Road today and tomorrow, motorists will be able to access Irwin’s Road (Education Building), Pedagogue’s Close and Parking Lot 3 from Prince Philip Drive. From Elizabeth Avenue access will be available to the Field House parking lot and Lambe’s Lane.

Traffic will not be permitted to drive under the pedway while the road is closed and the Aquarena parking lot will remain closed.

For a map of the St. John's campus, see http://www.mun.ca/campus map/stjohns/.

• The Department of Child, Youth and Family Services’ office in Conception Bay South reopened at 1:00 p.m. today (Wednesday, September 12).

• Due to power outages, the Department of Natural Resources Provincial Agriculture Building on Brookfield Avenue in St. John’s, and the Paddy’s Pond Forest Management Office at Paddy’s Pond are closed until further notice.

For forestry-related inquiries, please contact the standby officer at 709-685-7273.

For farm animal veterinary services, please contact 709-729-6899.

• Due to an electricity outage, the Belvedere Building, 57 Margaret's Place (off Newtown Road) will remain closed until further notice. Offices located in this building include MCP and the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program (NLPDP). The public is advised that any services normally provided at this location are unavailable at this time, however if assistance is required please call the below numbers: MCP general inquires: 1-866-449-4459 or NLPDP general inquires: 1-888-222-0533.

• Eastern Health advises the public that Carbonear General Hospital will return to normal operations as of Thursday morning, Sept. 13. As a result of yesterday’s equipment damage caused by a fire due to severe weather conditions, some of the hospital’s operating room equipment continues to be powered by its emergency generators today and not by the regular power grid. As such, surgery services at Carbonear General Hospital are limited to emergency surgeries for today only, including emergency obstetrical surgeries.  Elective surgeries will remain cancelled for today. Patients and clients can assume that all services, clinics, surgeries and appointments at the facility will go ahead as previously scheduled effective September 13, 2012, unless otherwise notified.

• Eastern Health advises the public that effective immediately, the Community Health Services offices located on 363 Main Highway in Holyrood, and on 130 Conception Bay South Highway, are closed due to unscheduled power outages as a result of yesterday’s severe weather conditions.

 All on-site appointments scheduled for today, September 12, 2012, have been cancelled and will be rescheduled. However, clients who had home visits booked for today may be seen with a possible delay, or be contacted by their provider to reschedule their appointments.

 The Community Health Services offices house a number of services, including Mental Health and Addictions, Community Supports, Home and Community Care, Personal Care Home, Public Health, Intervention services, and Occupational Therapy.

For emergencies related to the Community Supports Program in Holyrood, please call 752-4717.  

For emergencies related to the Community Supports Program in Conception Bay South, please call 752-3585.

For general information about the Community Health Services in the eastern region, please call 759-3370.

It is anticipated that services at both facilities will resume as per normal on Thursday.

• The Department of Environment and Conservation wishes to advise the public that Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is reopened to the public and offering tours of the fossil beds. Tours leave the Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre in Portugal Cove South at 1 p.m. daily. Please call 709-438-1100 to ensure availability.

• Tropical storm Leslie took its toll on MUN Botanical Garden. The nature trails and flower gardens will remain closed for at least one day due to damage incurred from the high winds on Tuesday. Visitors are welcome to the field centre for the exhibits and Art Show and that the Garden Cafe and Giftshop are still open for business. Anne Madden, Education Coordinator indicated several education programs, including the school program bookings, have been cancelled for a few days. The first session of the Nurturing Nature in Programs and Play Educator Workshop has also been cancelled this week. If the clean-up proceeds smoothly, it is hoped the flower gardens and some trails will open later this week.  

• Western Health would like to advise the public that the Medical Clinics in Degrau and Lourdes are open today. The Clinics had been closed due to adverse weather in the area over the past two days.

• Due to power outages, the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services’ offices in Conception Bay South and Holyrood have been closed until further notice. For inquiries, contact the Metro Region at 709-729-4612.

• As a result of damage caused by tropical storm Leslie, the Department of Environment and Conservation wishes to advise the public that Salmonier Nature Park is closed until further notice. An update will be provided when public access to the park is permitted.

• Today’s weekly Parkinson’s exercise class held at the Dr. L.A. Miller Centre, 100 Forest Road, at 10:30 a.m., is cancelled due to an unscheduled power outage as a result of Tuesday’s severe weather conditions. The next exercise class will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.

• RNC officers are directing traffic at various intersections in both St. John's and Mount Pearl will be stationed at these intersections during peak trafic hours only. This will cover morning, noon and evening rush hour traffic.

• The City of St. John's released this information early this morning. Traffic signals without power”

Topsail Road @ Cowan Avenue

Columbus Drive @ Canada Drive

Canada Drive @ Cowan Avenue

Canada Drive @ Hamlyn Road

Ridge Road @ Higgins Line

Logy Bay Road @ Macdonald Drive

Logy Bay Road @ Selfridge Road

Columbus Drive @ Bay Bulls Road

Columbus Drive @ Pitts Memorial Westbound Off-Ramp

Traffic signals flashing:

Torbay Road @ Macdonald Drive

Topsail Road @ Hamlyn Road

Freshwater Road @ Crosbie Road

Blackmarsh Road @ Mercers Drive/Dominion

Cashin Avenue @ Campbell Avenue

• The RNC advised early this morning the following traffic lights are either flashing or not working at all.

Logy Bay Rd. @ McDonald Drive

Bay Bulls @ Columbus

Kilbride Access @ Columbus

Ridge Rd @ Higgins Line

Torbay Rd.@ Mc donald Dr

Cowan ave @ Topsail

Cowan Ave @ Canada Dr

Motorists should use caution while driving this morning due to the amount of debris still in certain areas and traffic lights not functioning. Traffic lights that do not have a Police Officer directing traffic are to be treated as a four way stop.

• As a result of power disruptions the following schools in the Eastern School District system will be closed for the day:

Beaconsfield Junior High

Hazelwood Elementary

Beachy Cove Elementary

Virginia Park Elementary

Holy Spirit High School

Villanova Junior High

Cape St. Francis Elementary

Holy Trinity Elementary

Eastern School District also asks motorists to exercise caution and care around school zones as some traffic and pedestrian light systems may not be working properly.