7 p.m.
About 260 Southwestern Electric members are without power this evening as strong storms sweep across southern Illinois, bringing down limbs and power lines. At 7 p.m., 180 Bond County members were without power. The storm had also interrupted service to a total of 80 members in Clinton, Fayette, Madison and St. Clair counties.
Crews are responding to outages and on site at locations throughout the co-op’s service area, surveying damage and making repairs.
Members who see downed or sagging power lines should stay clear of the area and contact Southwestern Electric Cooperative at (800) 637-8667. In addition, people clearing debris should look for sagging or fallen wires before they begin working and treat every powerline as if it’s energized.