Much of Dunklin County still in dark after ice storm

DUNKLIN COUNTY, Mo. — Hundreds of splintered and leaning utility poles line the highways of Dunklin County today, as communities work toward what officials say will be a lengthy recovery.

Power has been returned to 90 percent of Malden and Clarkton, while Campbell stands at 50 percent and Kennett at 20 percent, according to Emergency Management Director Larry Kelly. All of the towns in the southern part of the county remain in the dark.

"The southern part of the county saw the saw the most damage and power companies are having to rebuild structures, put in new power poles," said Kelly. "We don't have a definite time when the power will be back. It will be several days at least. Each community is doing welfare checks with the assistance of National Guard."

Ozark Border reports all of its more than 2,100 customers in Dunklin County are without power today. About 300 of Ameren's customers, or 29 percent, in the county do not have electricity.

Shelters have been established in Malden, Kennett and Senath. A shelter is available on an as-needed basis in Cardwell. Feeding stations are located in Clarkton and Holcomb.

Generators are being used to run necessary services in many towns.

Some school districts are closed until further notice, including Malden, which is operating a shelter at its high school.

One family had to be treated for carbon monoxide poisoning before being brought to the shelter, said Superintendent Kenneth Cook. Another had not eaten for two days before taking up residence at the high school.

Approximately 80 people remain at the Malden shelter, which was providing a warm place to sleep to more than 100 area residents last week, Cook said. Meals, served three times a day, are open to all community members and utility crews working in the area. The shelter fed more than 400 at its noon meal Friday, but that number had fallen to about 350 this week.

"If people want to stay in their homes, but just need a hot shower, we also have private men and women's showers," Cook said. "I don't know how long the shelter will operate, but it will be until we're not needed."

Malden resident Lakessha Hill is thankful for a warm place to stay, but entering her second week at the shelter, said it is a difficult place to be with three children.

"It's very hard. The kids ask me the same question every day, when are we going home," the 36-year-old said. "We hate to be away from home."

Officials and those working at the shelter are doing what they can to make residents comfortable.

Television has been set up in the cafeteria, where a Super Bowl party was held Sunday and included barbecue ribs from a local restaurant. A local grocery store also donated all of its frozen food when the business lost power and Rhodes 101 Convenience Store gave the shelter a large quantity of paper cups.

Members of the National Guard in Malden to help the police department have entertained children with rides in Humvees.

Many staying at the shelter have brought some of the comforts of home, including quilts, pillows and even a recliner.

Billie Sweet, 65, in the shelter since Wednesday night, appreciates both the utility crews and shelter workers.

"They are working as hard as they can," Sweet said. "I couldn't ask for better."

Much of the City of Malden is currently being powered by the city's power plant. Used as the community's main source of energy in the '40s and '50s, the plant is now a backup to power purchased from Southwestern Power Administration.

Malden is on a loop, along with Kennett and Piggott, Ark., that is provided power from Arkansas, according to Ted Bellers, director of utilities for the Malden Board of Public Works, City Light and Water. That loop was damaged by the ice storm and it could take 30 to 40 days to fix it, he said.

Until that happens, 4,000 gallons of a diesel per day will be needed to power the city. This is three times more expensive than purchasing power from SPA.

The city's power plant would have been able to supply electricity to all Malden homes soon after the loop was damaged if ice had not brought down so many poles and lines, Bellers said. Approximately 90 percent of Malden's lines and 80 poles came down.

"The storm was so great, it took down so much of our system, we had a difficult time bringing our system back up with the plant," he continued.

Crews from the Missouri towns of Nixa, Kirkwood and Macon, as well as from Minnesota arrived last week and are helping city utility workers repair damage. They have been working 16 hour days, Bellers said.

An enormous amount of work needed to be done and it was slowed somewhat because wire from some downed power lines was stolen.

Some homeowners will also need work done by licensed electricians, where, for instance, falling trees and limbs have torn out meter bases.

Malden is working to provide some assistance to those residents, Bellers said. With only a quarter of the city surveyed, he estimated at least 100 people would need a private electrician.

There are currently 16 members of the National Guard in Malden. Another 25 to 30 members of the Civil Air Patrol were there for several days to help with wellness checks.

If residents need assistance or a ride to a shelter, they should contact their local city halls, said Kelly. A command center at Kennett can also be reached at 573-917-2301.

The Malden Board of Public Works can be reached at 573-276-2238, for city residents who need assistance in obtaining repairs to electrical masts torn off homes due to ice or falling tree limbs. Residents should also call if they suspect a downed power line has power to it.

"As power comes back on in the city, any lines that are still down may become energized unintentionally," a letter sent to Malden residents Sunday warns.